Hyper Nova
by poorasdirt
Summary: I may have made certain you were no longer a part of my life but you continue to haunt me. Hopefully by the time this is over, I won't have to deal with your ghost anymore. Sequel to Meteor Shower, summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**: Two years have passed since Bella got rid of the Cullens. Now it is time for her to take on her last major challenge, the Volturi. However things are never straight forward. She has to deal with strange dreams, vampires, and emotions as she works to finish what she started. Luckily she still has her group of friends to help her, and when all else fails she can still call her mom for advice. Sequel to Meteor Shower.

**poorasdirt**: Yes, this is the start of the story you've all been waiting for. I know it was a long time coming and I still have some things to work out but I have enough to start. It will take some time to get chapters out unlike my previous stories, but it will get done. The next chapter will probably be up in a week or so. I didn't really care for editing and I was pressed for some time so if there are mistakes I'm sorry. Anyway hope you like it.

**ENJOY!**

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She was walking through a forest in mid autumn. She could tell from the changing of leaves and the smell of decay around her. The trees were all tall and thick, probably several hundred years old. The ground below her feet had no beaten path and she couldn't see any game trails either. However the earth below her feet was soft and padded with fallen leaves. The sun seemed to be high above hidden by the still thick golden leaves, casting a golden light around the forest. She didn't hear any animals though, which was odd. Usually during this time animals were getting ready for winter to come and were rushing around looking for food and other necessities. She was also a bit surprised to see a lack of bushes and other undergrowth around her.

She walked calmly through the forest, breathing in the calming scents of autumn as she went. She was vaguely reminded of Forks as she walked through the woods. She knew the forest she was walking through wasn't from Europe. Despite some similarities among the forests she had been in, there was just something about the American northwest that was unique to her. She supposed that outside of the deserts of Arizona, the northwest forests were her home. By the time she left Forks she practically could navigate it with her eyes closed, thanks to all her training in the beginning when she first awoke her powers.

The more she walked the calmer she felt.

That was until she heard a twig break and her relaxed stance instantly changed to one of alertness. Her golden eyes scanned the area trying to find the source of the noise. It took her a second, but as she turned around she found herself staring at a large black wolf with deep brown eyes.

The bear like wolf was tall and as she stared into his eyes she was suddenly struck with familiarity. Walking forward she reached out to the wolf with a brown leather clad hand. She was only vaguely aware that she was wearing her Coyote outfit of brown leather jacket, vest, form fitting pants, gloves and boots. Her hair was down and wild as ever and she didn't have her contacts or fake teeth in to hide her mutations. She was aware she didn't have her armor out though.

"Brother wolf, what are you doing here?" She asked as she got close enough to touch him but refrained from doing so. She smiled slightly as the wolf rested his giant head against her leather clad hand. Carefully she petted the large head in her hand with warmth in her eyes. "You remind me of someone you know. A good friend I left behind in a small town in the woods near the coast. I sometimes wish things didn't turn out the way it did back then. I suppose we both had a path to take and follow, wouldn't you agree brother wolf?"

The wolf didn't respond but she didn't care as she fell silent. She didn't bother with any more conversation as she continued to calmly pet the large wolf behind one of his large ears. The two staid like that for what seemed to be years before a breeze swept through. She shielded her eyes as several leaves flew into her face.

Once the breeze died down and she opened her eyes the wolf had vanished into thin air. Blinking at the spot where the large beast had been she sighed. Shaking her head and pulling a few stray golden leaves from her hair, she turned around to continue on her journey.

It was only then that she was gripped with a sense of urgency. Like any icy claw griping her stomach she felt her heart rate increase. Taking a deep breath she started to run in the direction she was going. Hoping she would get to the source of what was causing her adrenaline to start pumping. She felt the need to fix whatever was affecting the calm woods around her.

As she ran she suddenly began to hear the beating of drums. It was low and almost silent at first, but the more she ran the louder they became. It was only when the beats were at their loudest did she suddenly hear the chanting on the wind as well. It sounded like a group of Native Americans singing at a powwow. The voices both gave her strength and filled her with dread as she ran.

Then suddenly at the height of the song, all the noise disappeared making her skid to a sudden stop as well. Her eyes widened as she looked at the glowing silver figure before her. She blinked a few times not believing her eyes as she tried to work the words out of her mouth. "You're dead."

She was suddenly hit with a rush of awareness as her hand shot up and grabbed the wrist reaching out towards her shoulder. Her eyes flew open and she sat up suddenly looking around at her surroundings. She took a few deep breaths as she saw herself sitting on the guest bed her werewolf friend Richard gave her to stay in while she was at the Blue Moon Pub. In fact she was suddenly aware she was holding the very wrist of the owner of the pub. Looking up into his concerned gray eyes she raised an eyebrow curiously.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost." He commented shaking his head as she let go of his wrist. She was happy to see she had kept her claws from unsheathing and possibly harming her friend.

"I think I just did." She commented still hyperventilating a little. She felt the bed dip as he sat down behind her and wrapped his strong arms around her slim waist.

"Want to tell me about it?" He asked curiously pulling her back against him and resting his head on top of hers. "You seem very unsettled."

"I'm fine; it was just a strange dream. I've had a few in the past so it's no big deal. I just haven't ever been able to get used to the realness of them. Sometimes I swear I'm physically there, like I can reach out and actually touch the things in my dreams." She said with a sigh.

"Really? When was the last time you had a dream like that?" Richard asked curiously.

"It was just before I met Grant. I kept dreaming that I was in a mansion and I could hear a little boy crying. I kept looking for him but no matter how many doors I looked in or rooms I explored I couldn't find the boy. After I rescued Grant I had one last dream of finding him in a closet in the mansion, then the dreams stopped. The ones before that one all led up to me awaking my mutation. They ranged from running into Madison, to my dad's death, to choosing my mutation over the men in my life." Bella said melting into his embrace for a few minutes. "So what is happening?"

"It seems Hiro has finished whatever he was doing the past few days. Madison told me to wake you up since the others are busy. You've slept almost until lunch actually." Richard said getting a nod from Bella. He was amused to note the woman in his arms didn't move just yet, seeming content where she was at the moment.

"I probably should get moving then. Where's Grant?" Bella asked looking around the room she was occupying. It didn't matter that Grant was rooming with Hiro; their room was right next to hers. She couldn't hear either of them in the room so she figured they were both up.

"He's down helping Kent around the pub." Richard answered with a chuckle at her sudden alertness. "Don't worry he's not causing any trouble."

"I should hope not." Bella said wiggling out of her friend's embrace and getting off the bed. "What are you still doing here? Out!" She said pulling him off the bed and pushing him out the door. "I need to get ready for the day." She said still hearing his low laugh beyond the closed door.

Huffing she looked down at her night clothes. She refused to blush but that didn't mean she could control the slight pink tint to her cheeks. She couldn't believe she had been sitting there in just a black sports bra and black short shorts. While she admitted her clothes weren't exactly conservative unless she was dressed up as Susan Meadows, but at least she was much more covered. Shaking her head and pushing her discomfort away, she turned and went to her clothes to get ready for the day.

Walking into the living room of the apartment over the pub, she spotted the newest members of her group, Rayna and Crystal Greene. The group picked them up shortly after they left Forks, in the Smokey Mountains. Rayna was living with a Wiccan coven the joined when she was a teenager with Crystal, her adopted daughter. Crystal's family had actually been part of the coven as well but had died when she was younger.

Rayna, or Ray as they called her, was taller than Bella by a few inches with a slim fit body. Despite being from African American decent she had pale almost paper white skin. Her long hair was naturally forest green and her eyes a stunning purple. As always she was wearing clothes that looked and probably did come from the thrift shop a few blocks away. Bella was amazed Ray always had flowing gypsy like clothes and often wondered where exactly they came from.

Crystal, or Chris, on the other hand was only a year younger than Grant. Her tan skin contrasted beautifully with her long pale blonde hair and completely white eyes. At first they thought she was blind since it seemed she didn't have any irises or pupils but she could see better than anyone they knew. Unlike Ray with her slightly hippie gypsy like clothes, Chris wore simple clothes, jeans and t-shirts mostly.

"Hey you two." Bella greeted going over to her two friends who smiled at her.

"Morning Bella had a good night sleep I hope." Ray greeted with the slight southern drawl she grew up with. It didn't help she spent her childhood in Georgia.

"I can't complain." Bella said with a shrug. Briefly she saw a flash of silver and heard the beat of drums, before she pushed the image from her mind. "So have you seen Hiro?"

"He just went to the kitchen." Ray said with a smile.

"Mind getting him out here? I want to see what he figured out and to see what we're doing next." Bella said getting a nod from Ray.

"I'll go get uncle Dante and aunty Mad." Chris volunteered making Bella smile.

"Sounds like a plan, I'll go save Kent from Grant." Bella said getting a laugh from Ray as she walked off in the direction of the kitchen.

Bella made her way down to the pub on the ground floor. She was glad the stairs to the apartment above was in the back. It let her simply slip downstairs without any of the paying customers seeing her. That didn't mean the staff in the kitchen didn't see her though. She was slightly amused by the scene she walked in on though.

Richard's extra help, Kent Marshall, was currently covered from head to toe in flour with Grant standing off to the side sheepishly with a mop and bucket. The young werewolf apparently was in a rush and slipped on the wet ground, sliding into a shelving unit that held the baking goods. His everything on his tall wiry build was covered in the fine white powder. His normally short dark brown hair looked dusty, his tan skin looked white, and he would probably have to wash his uniform several times to get it clean. She did notice his brown eyes were looking up at Grant with a glare though.

"Not getting into trouble, right." Bella drawled making Grant stand on attention and Kent sit up quickly.

"M-Ms. Bella, i-i-it's not his fault. I-I shouldn't h-have been running i-in the k-kitchen." Kent said looking down with his shoulders slumped slightly making Bella smile.

"It's alright; at least someone around here can get Grant to do chores." Bella said eyeing the thirteen year old she adopted several years ago. "Don't worry about the mess, I think he'll enjoy helping you clean up after he comes back down."

"What? Mère, I didn't do anything though." Grant protested putting the mop in the bucket of water he was using and leaning the handle against a wall.

"I know, but I do hope I've raised you to help others when they need it." Bella said getting a pout from the young teen who nodded.

"Whatever you say mère." Grant conceded before blinking. "What do you mean after I come back down?"

"We're going to have a meeting, want to join?" Bella asked getting a nod from Grant.

"What's this meeting about?" Grant asked as the two made their way back up to the apartment.

"I don't really know but Hiro's found something. It could mean we've finally figured out where all the vampires have gone." Bella said getting a nod from Grant.

Both knew that vampires seemed to have hidden themselves somewhere to get away from Bella's group. They managed to catch a fleeing coven but the coven didn't say where they had been going. All they knew were vampires were disappearing and it seemed that they were all going to one spot. Bella knew if they found the spot where the vampires were headed it would be just that much easier to take them out. She wanted to move quickly simply because it would give the vampires less of a chance of making thousands of newborns. One thing moving in their favor, however, was the vampires valued their secrecy and wouldn't jeopardize it without good enough reason.

When the two got to the living room they found the rest of their group sitting there with Richard. Hiro had a map spread out on the coffee table, the same map they had been using to map out where the rest of the vampires were. Bella raised an eyebrow at Richard but he simply smirked at her, making her roll her eyes. She also noted Dolph was wringing his hands on a rag, suggesting he was in the middle of making lunch or cleaning the kitchen. Mad was currently yawning as she balanced on an armrest of the couch. Dante didn't seem much more awake and even had a cup of Colombian coffee in his hand. Really the only thing that changed about her friends in the past two years was that they aged two years.

"So what's all this about?" Madison asked looking down at the map.

"Well thanks to the locating spells Ray-san used, and our other resources, I've narrowed down where the vampires have been going." Hiro said getting a nod from Bella. "It seems they have settled in Italy."

"Italy? But why?" Ray asked with a frown.

"The Volturi." Bella answered getting a few looks from her friends. "They are considered the police of the vampire community. They make the rules and enforce the rules. I've been saving them for last since their coven is said to be the largest and they have very powerful vampires working for them."

"How do you know about them?" Richard asked curiously getting a slight grimace from Bella.

"Edward." Bella muttered an undistinguishable glint flashing through her eyes.

"In any case what are we going to do about this information?" Madison asked glancing at the others in the group who all thought.

"Well we could go to Italy and hunt them down." Dante suggested before taking a sip of his coffee.

"That's not a bad idea, just how many vampires are left though?" Dolph asked turning to Hiro who was looking at something on his lap top.

"From what I can figure, all we have left are the vampires in Italy. Bella-san has done well in not letting us go there. So it seems to have become a sort of sanctuary for them." Hiro said rather impressed by that fact.

"So that's it then, we're going to Italy." Grant said getting agreements all around.

"I think we should prepare to go there soon. Richard is there any werewolves in Italy that you know of?" Bella asked curiously.

"Yes actually, they are very underground though because of the vampires' interest in killing them. My Alpha knows the Naples Alpha rather well though. I'm sure I can talk him into getting in contact with her for you." Richard responded getting a nod from Bella.

"That would be nice." Bella said before turning to her friends.

"How are we going to keep the vampires from leaving the country when we get there though?" Madison asked with a frown. "They're very big in self-preservation if you haven't noticed."

"That's a good question, any ideas?" Bella asked with a frown.

"I know of a warding technique, a sort of supernatural shield if you will. It'll keep the vampires from leaving once they are inside the barrier." Ray offered getting a nod from Bella.

"Can you perform it here or do you have to be in Italy to perform it?" Bella asked curiously.

"I'll need in Italy and there are a few things I need that I can't find here." Ray said getting a nod from Bella.

"Okay, Richard, talk with your alpha. I'll make the travel arrangements. Dolph make a list of the things we need. When do you think we should leave?" Bella asked curiously.

"We should be ready in two weeks if everything runs smoothly Ms. Bella." Dolph answered getting a nod from the woman.

"Two and a half weeks it is, anything not finished we can do when we get there." Bella said getting agreements from her friends. "Now Grant go help Kent, I'm sure he's waiting for you."

"Oui mère." Grant muttered before going off back to the pub below. The others drifted off to start getting things ready for when they would leave.

It was the next day around lunch time that Richard approached Bella. "So what did you find out?" Bella asked looking up from her lap top.

"Well he is all for you getting in contact with the Naples werewolves. She just requested that someone from the pack here in England go with you. You know in good faith or something like that." Richard said leaning against the kitchen table where Bella was working.

"That's fine, who's coming with us?" Bella asked only knowing a few werewolves in Richard's pack. In fact despite only knowing a few there were mostly all the werewolves she knew. She only met Richard's alpha once and she liked the man well enough. However, Richard was more or less their go between for the werewolf pack.

"He wants me to go." Richard said making Bella raise both her eyebrows at him.

"Really? Who's going to take care of the pub then?" Bella asked curiously knowing the pub ran smoothly only because Richard was there.

"Kent can take care of himself and the staff. He needs to learn some more responsibility anyway. After I retire he'll be the one to take over, he's young enough." Richard said with a smirk.

"He just got his liquor license not too long ago though." Bella pointed out getting a chuckle from Richard.

"True but he knows a lot. He's been working here since he was legally allowed to, first as a busboy now as an assistant manager. He'll do fine." Richard reassured a still disbelieving Bella. "What makes you think he wouldn't?"

"I don't know. He just seems real jumpy to me." Bella offered with a shrug.

"That is because he is. Well, slightly, he's just intimidated by you." Richard said with a chuckle.

"If you say so, and you're lucky you told me that now. I was just about to start booking our tickets." Bella said getting a grin from Richard.

"I guess I just have good timing. Now if you don't mind I have a pub to run." He said making her snort as he left.

The next few days was filled with activity. Despite that, everyone was filled with a sort of anticipation for what was to come. Bella could practically taste the last battle on the tip of her tongue. While it probably would be weeks before she was facing down the Volturi she couldn't help but anticipate it. Something told her that the last battle would be important, she didn't know why but she learned a long time ago to trust her instincts. She just hoped at the end of this tour through Italy, she and her friends would finally reach the end of this long journey. She did know one thing though, the last hunt was just beginning and it would perhaps be even more dangerous than the last seven years of her life.

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YAY! They are off, not a lot happened and I didn't want to split this up since the chapters would be short and drawn out so I did this in one go. Anyway, hope it meets the standards I've already set myself and I hope you don't mind the wait for the next chapter. In the mean time don't forget to urge me to continue.

REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yay! I finished this chapter. I haven't really gotten into the groove just yet but I'm getting there. Really this chapter was a bit like pulling teeth, long, tedious, and a bit painful without medication. Hopefully I can pick up the pace a bit, but I still have a few things plot wise to work out. Anyway, I've gotten it done and edited, so here it is. I would also like to thank all that have reviewed, alerted, and favorited this story.

**ENJOY!**

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Arriving in Naples was pretty easy. The group had long gotten used to the routine of smuggling their weapons from country to country. In actuality Bella got in touch and made friends with several privately owned small airports around the world. She paid them and they looked the other way, and didn't that just make her feel like some international criminal. Shaking her head she smiled at the waiting cars she lined up to pick them up at the airport.

"Man, I'm so going to be glad to go back to the states. I miss my Harley." Madison said stretching as she made her way towards the cars.

"I agree senorita; it is a shame we had to leave them in storage." Dante said with a sigh as he helped Dolph with the luggage.

"Bella, where are we going to stay?" Ray asked curiously while she watched Hiro, Grant, Dolph, Richard, and Dante take care of the luggage.

"Well I couldn't find a good enough online realtor for houses so I booked us some hotel rooms. I already paid for two weeks but lined it up so we can have the rooms longer if need be. I just explained we were moving here from out of country and will need the rooms as long as possible before finding a permanent residence. The manager was fine with that." Bella explained getting a nod from Ray.

"Aunty Bella, does the hotel have a pool?" Chris asked looking up at Bella who smiled.

"Yes, and there is hardly anyone there since we've hit it just after tourist season." Bella said making Chris smile.

"So that's the plan, bunk at a hotel until we find our own pad to crash at? Are we going to buy a place or rent it?" Madison asked curiously knowing even though they had an almost unlimited amount of cash they couldn't just buy a house wherever they went.

"I don't know at the moment, we'll have to see what's on market. If we have to I'll buy a cheap place, it will probably need to be fixed up a bit but nothing too major." Bella said getting a nod from her friend.

"Ms. Bella we've finished. We can go to the hotel when you are ready." Dolph said getting a smile from Bella.

"Then what are we waiting for? I can't wait to see a bed." Bella said still not used to sleeping on planes after all this time.

When they reached the hotel it was pretty easy for them to check in. It wasn't long before the group was sitting around in Bella and Madison's room. The hotel was close to the airports but slightly out of the way. The group could easily slip into several alleyways if they wanted to slip away quietly. At the moment they were making plans for what they were going to do to set up shop in Naples.

"So what are the things we need to do now?" Madison asked getting dry looks from her friends. "What? It's the question we all want answered. I'm just stating it."

"So I noticed." Bella said with a smirk. "Right, first things first, we need a more long term place to stay. But that aside, Ray, can you put up the circle regardless of our living status?"

"Well yes but there are a few things I need." Ray said looking slightly uneasy. "Most of them I can get from the local markets here, it's the last thing I think will be the problem."

"I don't know if I want to know, but what is it?" Bella asked hoping it wasn't anything major.

"A vampire, preferably one that can still move on its own." Ray said with a slight cringe.

"Mon dieu! What do you need one of them for?" Grant asked stating the thought on everyone's mind.

"Well it's all quite complicated magic and I know I'll lose most of you in the explanation so I'll try to make it simple. I need a vampire so I can target the shield to that one species of supernatural beings." Ray tried getting a few blank looks from the group. "In other words, the spell needs to know what it's trying to cage or it won't cage it."

"Oh, that makes sense I suppose. But where are we going to get a living vampire?" Madison asked with a slight smile forming on her lips. Bella just rolled her eyes at her friend and whacked the blonde in the face with a pillow. "HEY!"

"That is why I said it will be a problem." Ray said ignoring the two friends' antics.

"Well I have to get a hold of the alpha here in Naples. I'm sure I can talk her into helping us with our slight problem." Richard said thoughtfully.

"That's right; you are here to help us build a relation with the werewolves of Italy." Dante said sitting up. "Perhaps they have information we can use to locate a vampire coven. It will be risky since we will have to fight them without them knowing there's a barrier going up around the country. So any vampires that get wind of it before it happens could be able to escape if they have a means to do so. But on the other hand it will make things move much quicker."

"Outside some of that being obvious that's probably the smartest thing you said all day." Madison teased lightly, sticking her tongue out at her Argentinean friend when he flipped her off.

"All in all I think it will be best if we divide and concur." Bella said breaking up the fight before it happened. "Ray, start preparing things for your shield. Hiro, run through all the information you can to locate possible vampire hangouts and hideouts. Dolph, I know I ask you this all the time but babysit Grant and Chris. Dante, you go house hunting. Richard is going to speak with the werewolves. So that leaves Mad and I to scope out this place on foot. Any questions or objections anyone?"

"None I can think of." Mad answered already on her feet bouncing on her heels.

"I never turn down spending time with these two." Dolph said motioning to Grant and Chris.

"How big of a budget will I be on?" Dante asked with a frown.

"Nothing to big, something big enough for the nine of us to live at comfortably for as long as we're here." Bella answered getting a nod from Dante.

"I can do that senorita." Dante said moving to his computer to start searching for places to stay. Bella rolled her eyes at the man. He used to sleep in piles of hay but nowadays he couldn't stay very long in a hotel room. She never understood way, something about bedbugs and creepy maids, after that mumbled response she didn't want to know. It didn't help that they found him practically naked in a snow bank at the time.

"Come on, let's go sightseeing!" Mad cheered practically dragging Bella and Richard out of the hotel. The last thing Bella heard before the door closing was Chris asking Dolph if they could go swimming.

About an hour later Bella was walking around near the University of Naples Federico II. She, Mad, and Richard split up almost immediately after they got out of the hotel. Richard went to follow the directions he got to the Alpha's house, Bella made a mental note to find out the Naples Alpha's name. Mad had taken off in the opposite direction she shoved Bella in. Bella wasn't too concerned though since she knew they could all get a hold of each other via cell phone.

Bella only took in the beauty of the university with half a mind. She couldn't help her mind from wandering back to the strange dream she had that day at the pub. She couldn't remember who it was she saw, just that the person was dead, she knew that much. The drum beat had gotten stuck in her mind as well. She found herself tapping it out while waiting for the plane to land. She was slightly surprised Grant hadn't woken up because of the tapping she was doing on her armrest.

Deciding she wasn't getting anywhere Bella turned back towards the hotel. Just thinking of the flight to Naples made her tired. She mentally cursed herself for forgetting the fact that plane rides always made Madison hyper. Bella figured it was because her friend was so used to moving around. Sitting in one place for too long made the blonde woman unbearable to be around at times. Then again Mad got the same way from downing a cup of coffee as well.

It was at that thought Bella heard her cell phone ring. Flipping it open, wondering what was up; she put the device to her ear. "Yea?"

"Ah, ciao Ms. Swan." A thickly accented voice said on the other line. Bella scrunched up her nose in thought for a moment trying to place the voice. It was female, husky, and seemed to roll off of the person's tongue easily enough. Bella also figured the person spoke Italian as their first language because she at least knew ciao was a greeting in the language.

"Hello, do I know you?" Bella asked simply stopping in her tracks and looking around at her surroundings. She spotted two Italian men walking towards her. They were pretty nondescript and looked to blend right in with the locals, making her extra wary of them.

"Not personally I'm afraid. You're friend Mr. Lawrence has spoken with me. Once I heard you were in the city I had to meet you. I've heard a great deal about you these past few years. Per favore, come meet me. I've sent two of my wolves to direct you here." The voice said and Bella bit her lip uncertainly for a moment noticing the two men stop before her. Now that they were close she could smell the scent of wolf and forest on them as clear as day. She knew that meant they were in fact werewolves, but she wasn't one ever to trust someone in power.

Sighing mentally she smiled to her two escorts. "Very well, I'll see you in a few."

Bella had met only one other Alpha before, Richard's Alpha. But she could already draw some conclusions as to what were the characteristics of a werewolf Alpha. The woman standing before her showed some of the same traits Richard's Alpha did. She stood tall, and not just because she was a few inches taller than Bella, and proud. This woman had a sort of steely glint in her dark blue eyes that would make anyone less confident fidget. Outside of that Bella was slightly surprised by the differences between Richard's Alpha and this Alpha.

The woman standing before her had waist length curly black hair, an olive skin tone, fit body, and almost supermodel like looks. From what Bella could see, which was a lot thanks to the woman's low V-neck blue halter top and white pleated mini-skirt, the woman lacked any prominent visible scars. There were three very faint scars on the woman's right forearm but they were hardly noticeable thanks to the cleverly placed gold bangles on the woman's wrist. Bella also took note of the strappy four inch stiletto heels, dangling gold earrings, and gold choke chain necklace the woman wore. Bella hadn't seen a werewolf, female or otherwise, with a French Manicure either; so that was a first. All and all with the light make up and clothes, this woman looked nothing like any werewolf Bella had encountered yet.

"Ah, Ms. Swan, it's so nice to meet you. I'm Niccola Ricci at your service. Richard has told me a bit about you while we were waiting. I do hope you find my beautiful city enjoyable yes?" The female Alpha said with a seemingly warm smile. Bella noted however the icy glint in the woman's eye took away from the friendly look Niccola was trying to pull off.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, and from what I've seen the city is amazing." Bella responded with an easy smile. "I was just thinking about taking one of those tours around the city when you called. But perhaps one of your friends wouldn't mind showing me around later. I must admit this is the first time I met a female werewolf in such a high position."

"Well in that case how about you and I go have some girl talk, is that the right term?" Niccola asked getting a slight nod from Bella who was looking at Richard. The man was standing not too far from them and looked like he either tasted something sour or smelt something horrible.

"That sounds great, but if you don't mind. One of my friends is running around the city, she's fine normally but she had a little too much energy coming off the plane. I'm sure Richard can track her down and make sure she stays out of trouble. I'm not sure how she'd react to one of your wolves trying to round her up." Bella said getting a blink from Niccola as the werewolf processed that information.

"OH! Of course, he may go get your friend. Your guide later will drop you off at your hotel if you'd like." Niccola offered making Bella smile.

"That would be perfect, now you were saying something about girl talk?" Bella said and with a simple wave of her hand Richard took the opportunity to leave.

"Right this way, I'm curious to know what you plan to do now that you are here." Niccola said ushering Bella off towards another part of the two story house she had found herself in. Bella just hoped she could speed things along, for the simple fact that she felt like she was right back in high school again for some reason.

Once Bella got back to the hotel she was very close to begging Dolph for some pain killers. While the medication would only wear off in her system after a few minutes at most, she was willing to take whatever relief she could get. She spent nearly four hours stuck listening to Niccola gloss over the wonders of Naples; she went on about everything from restaurants to beauty salons. Bella wouldn't ever believe she'd run into an Italian version of Jessica, but she had done just that. The worst part was Niccola had minions, seemingly reluctant minions but minions nonetheless.

"Well you look like you got hit with a train." Madison commented seeing Bella flop down on her bed with a groan. "Let me guess the Alpha likes to tell old war stories."

"No, it's worse than that." Bella groaned into her hand as she tried to massage her temples with the least amount of effort put into the action.

"What can be worse than that?" Madison asked looking away from the soap opera playing out on the screen of their TV.

"Try a living Barbie doll that has a bad hair day once a month." Bella offered getting a cringe from Madison.

"That _is_ bad."

"So do you know what the others have done while I was away?" Bella asked looking at the clock. It was near midnight and Bella was flat out exhausted. All she wanted to do was kick off her boots and curl up under the covers. However, she was a leader of a group and had to know what was going on.

"Well Hiro managed to crack the local police's database. He's cross referencing cases on file to see if we can find any leads of our own. Mostly cold case murders from what I was able to gather from his jumble of Japanese he was muttering. Um, Dante still hasn't found a house but he's working on it. Ray finished up all she can do; we just need to give her a vampire now. She's going to help Dolph with the kids. Dolph is Dolph; if he ever gets married he's going to be the stay at home dad, no doubt. Eh, who did I miss? Oh! Right, Richard and I looked around the city some more but came back empty handed. We're either going to have to tap the werewolf pack's resources or Hiro is going to have to find some really good leads. Other than that, we are all set." Madison reported ending with a mock solute to her best friend.

"Good, I'll talk with Hiro tomorrow. Right now I really need to get some sleep." Bella said before getting ready for bed.

The next morning Bella was looking over the police records with Hiro. "Bella-san, look at this." Hiro said pulling up a file on his computer.

"What is it?" Bella asked going over to look over her friend's shoulder.

"It's some police records about missing tourists. But these records coincide with a few other disappearances here." Hiro explained pulling up a few more files.

"They all went on the same tour." Bella observed with a frown. "Can you find out where this tour starts and where it ends? Since other tourists managed to make it through the whole thing it's safe to say if it is vampires, they are picking tourists off during the tour."

Hiro typed in a few things and pulled up a website featuring the tour. Pulling out a map he started to map the route for Bella. "Here you go Bella-san. It should be the route." He said after he was done.

"Thanks Hiro, you can continue to search or find out if Dolph needs help with something. I'm going to take Mad and Richard to check this out." Bella said getting a nod from Hiro before she slipped out. "Mad!"

"You rang my sister?" Madison asked appearing from the ceiling. Bella gave her a slight glare before handing over the map. "Oh! Treasure hunt! Where's the X?"

"We have to find it. Hiro says tourists have been disappearing along that route. Most haven't been seen again but a few bodies have shown up. They all have the same MO, extensive blood loss from a nasty jagged wound on a major artery of the body." Bella said looking around curiously. "Where's Richard? The three of us are going to go out trying to spot the vampire hide out."

"He just left with Dolph to pick up some food for the kids. He should be back shortly. It'll give us time to get our things together for our tour of the city." Madison said getting a nod from Bella. The two then returned to their room to gather what they needed and phoned Richard with a heads up as to what they were doing.

Almost two hours later the trio was calmly following a group of tourists on foot. They managed to arrive just as the tour started. It was pretty easy for the trio to stalk the group and thanks to their communicators they could cover several angles. That didn't mean they were discussing the group of tourists since unfortunately Mad got them a little off topic discussion wise.

"I still think Max sounds too much like a dog name." Bella said rolling her eyes.

"Well I always wanted a dog named Max so if I can't have that, I might as well have a kid named Max, should I ever find the right man." Madison responded happily like that was the deciding factor in the conversation.

"Mad, you do know if you ever get pregnant and have a baby; it's completely different from getting a dog, right?" Bella asked uncertain about her friend's attitude.

"Well yea, but it's the same thing in concept. You still are welcoming a new life into your own, so why not give the child a meaningful name. Max means something to me so there you go; besides there are variations so it works if the kid is either a boy or girl." Madison explained getting a sigh from Bella but a chuckle from Richard. "What do you think Richard? What would you probably name your child if you ever had one?"

"I never really thought about it." Richard admitted with a shrug.

"Well if you thought about it, what would be the name you would pick?" Madison asked making Bella sigh.

"Just answer the question; she'll bother you for the rest of the time we're here until she gets what she wants." Bella said as she followed the tour group around a corner.

"Fine, if I had to choose I would choose Aiden for a boy and Sophia for a girl." Richard answered after a minute of contemplation.

"Why's that?" Madison asked curiously.

"Well Aiden was the name of my best friend I had growing up. He died in a car crash when we were nineteen. As for Sophia, that was the name of my mother who passed away when I was four." Richard answered calmly.

"That's so sweat!" Madison exclaimed in awe. "Alright your turn Bella, name the names."

"Charlie after my dad and Brooke just because I think it's a nice name." Bella answered easily enough.

"What do you think Ray would say?" Madison asked curiously.

"I don't know and now is not the time." Bella said with a slight sharp tone in her voice.

The tour group had just gone into an old house that seemed to have been converted into a small museum. However, Bella could feel something pressing against her mental shield. She had no doubt someone or something with psychic abilities was in that house. Outside of mutants the only psychically inclined beings Bella had come across so far were vampires. She also could see the people walking into the haze start to seem slightly disoriented.

"It seems we've found the spot where the tourists disappear." Richard said observing the group enter the building. "Is it me or is there something off about the tour guide?"

"Now that you mention it there is. Her movements are far to fluid for normal people. She could be a dancer or something but still, she's a little too graceful." Madison observed wondering how she missed that. She had been the one watching the tour guide for most of the two hours they had been tailing the group.

"In any case, let get in position for the group to come out." Bella said moving into the shadows of a nearby building.

Just as the other two got in position though, Bella's cell phone vibrated. Frowning Bella looked down at the screen of her cell phone before smiling. Clicking open Bella looked at the text Dante sent her. It was about a small villa like house he had found. It was perfect for what they needed and cheep as well. There were a few problems they would have to repair but for the most part it was the best find he had since he started looking. The pictures he sent were nice as well. It was two stories, had a courtyard, a small ballroom like area, and was fenced in. From the information he sent it seemed it used to be an old chapel before being converted into a private residence. Deciding it would work Bella text him back telling him to get the place and figure out what needed to be done to it with Dolph's help.

"I think we've found our vampire hide out." Madison said bringing Bella back to the situation at hand. "The group is five people short. How many times does this tour run?"

"Four a day at least." Richard answered making Bella hum.

"If this is the coven it's safe to say they have a vampire here that can dull someone's senses, or make them unaware of their surroundings. We're going to need to investigate it more though." Bella said leaning against a nearby wall. "I think one of us should stay here and observe the place."

"I will, I can blend into the scenery without anyone noticing I'm there." Madison offered making Bella smile. A few years ago Madison could only change her shape and a bit of her coloring, now she could melt right into a wall without anyone noticing she was stuck there.

"Alright, report back to us twice a day unless something important shows up. I'm going to have Hiro run a background check on the property to see who owns it and for how long it has been in their possession. Richard, would you mind asking some of your new werewolf friends to help monitor the tour?" Bella said taking control of the situation.

"Not at all, Ms. Ricci has assured me they will help us in any way." Richard answered getting a hum from Bella.

"Dante just texted me, he's found us a place to stay. From the sounds of it, it'll need some repairs but it's perfect for a base here. I'll be focusing on that for now, so be careful Mad." Bella continued.

"Perfect, and don't worry, they won't know I'm here." Madison said and Bella could see her blonde friend across the street melting right into the building she was standing next to. Well it looked like she melted, Bella knew Mad just pressed herself so close to the building, and changed her coloring to match it, that the blonde was practically invisible.

"I'll go talk to Ms. Ricci now; will you be going back to the hotel?" Richard asked making Bella think over her options.

"Yes, the tour ends not far from here and since this place is the most suspicious spot on the route we should focus our efforts here. Call me with Ricci's answer." Bella said already moving towards the hotel.

"Of course, I'll be returning to the hotel once I'm done." Richard said going in another direction to speak with the Naples Alpha.

Once Bella got back to the hotel she immersed herself in what she had to do. Not only was she working with Hiro to pinpoint the exact nature of the museum, she was directing Dolph and Dante on repairs of their new safe house. She also started to contemplate the idea of sending Grant and Chris to school. While she knew both young mutants liked being home schooled she wanted to give them chances to experience other things. She may not have liked school all that much, but she had been enrolled ever since preschool. She figured being with a few more people their age would do both children some good. She also was starting to get things ready for when they moved into their new house. It was times like this that she really liked the fact she was an author, she liked the escape an hour simply getting lost in her imagination gave her. It also meant could forget about all the stress she was under for a few moments, but those moments never lasted very long. She did have a lot to do after all.

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YAY! They are settling in to thier new location. Aside from that things seem to be moving rather smoothly. The pace should pick up soon, hopefully, and we'll be seeing some more action. I'm still contemplating how well I can pull off a fight scene, I'm thinking of trying to write at least one in this fic. I'm sort of going to need it for the continuation of thier adventures, so practice makes perfect right. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and the next one should be up sometime near the end of this week, depends on my schedule. In the mean time make me happy:

REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes, I've finished this. I even managed to edit it as best I could. I was going to have it up yesterday but I kept getting kicked off the dang computer. Concidering we only have one computer now thanks to our old one dying it's hard to get time to type. Never fear, I won't let that fact stop me from finishing this. Oh and before I forget: **ATENTION! ATENTION!** I put up a poll on my profile for you to take regarding which male mutant Bella will hook up with. However just because I will make it the pairing it won't affect this story. Yes I still have one last story to write after this one and it is being slowly constructed between me writing this one. That being said, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, or alerted this story. The next chapter should be up sometime next week. Until then:

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Bella was glad she booked the hotel rooms for so long. Even though she had both Dolph and Dante working on the repairs, and enlisted the help of some of Niccola's wolves, it still took nearly a week and a half to fix up the house. While the group was fixing up the house Bella divided up the responsibilities of her group again. She and Hiro were dealing with a few technical things, including researching the possible coven and getting the two youngest mutants enrolled in school. While they did that, Ray and Richard started to gather the things they need for the house such as furniture and food. With Mad still staking out the museum, Bella put her trust in Grant and Chris to stay out of trouble without someone watching them. She was pleased to see both young mutants did well when left to themselves.

At the moment while her friends moved in the furniture and stocked the cupboards, Bella was filling out the paperwork she needed to put Grant and Chris in school. "Mère, why do we have to go to school again?" Grant asked as he sat on one of the chairs in the office.

"I think it will be good for you. You've spent so much time with us at, well whatever we call home; you need to be with other people your age. Ray thinks the same thing. Just give it a shot for however long we're here in Naples, if you don't like it I won't put you back in school until you reach college if that's your choice." Bella said filling out some medical forms.

"Okay, if you say so. But are you sure we have to go?" Grant asked with a frown.

"Don't worry, I went to school too you know. I even graduated high school. I just think this is a good chance for you to experience something other than our insanity. Like I said, it's only until we leave Naples, which could be only a few weeks at most." Bella reassured the thirteen year old next to her.

She knew what his problem was though; he still had some separation issues. She had been slowly helping him overcome his issues, but it was a long process. The first few times she had done this back when he was eight, he thought she was abandoning him. She also saw the same issues with Dolph, it was part of the reason Grant and the cat like mutant got along so well. She knew it would take a lot more than counseling for Dolph to come to terms with his issues and she respected that. She did not, however, want Grant to end up the same way. So now was another big step in getting her adopted son to become a bit more independent of the group. She didn't want him to go running out partying every night, but she noticed he seemed uncomfortable and lacked confidence on his own in social environments. He knew how to interact with her and her friends but that was about it. He just lacked the experience socializing that most got during their time in school. She didn't think it was because he was shy however; he did tend to have a rather assertive personality once he was comfortable in his environment. She'd almost say he was a bit rebellious, but once he was on his own in a crowd he lacked all of his normal qualities.

"Don't worry, I'm going too. We won't be in the same class but we'll be able to see each other, I think." Chris reassured as well giving Grant a hug.

"Alright, but what if something happens while we are at school?" Grant asked caving in seeing he was on the losing end when his partner in crime was siding against him.

"That depends on what you mean by something." Bella said still focusing on the paperwork before her on the clipboard. Luckily she was dressed like Susan Meadows so the secretary wasn't giving her too strange of looks. She figured the secretary slightly recognized her as the famous author but hadn't made the connection yet.

"Well, what if something happens to you or one of the others? Or what if we accidently use our powers in school?" Grant asked with a frown.

"Don't worry, we will be fine. As for your powers, just don't get caught. Also don't use your powers purposely during school. We can't have HYDRA knocking on our door while we are here." Bella said in a low tone so only the two children would hear.

"So what will happen when we go home? Are they still moving everything in?" Chris asked Bella curiously.

"They may be done when we get there. Ricci sent some of her friends over to help." Bella answered simply signing one of the last documents.

"Are we going to meet this Niccola Ricci?" Grant asked curiously.

"I don't know. She has made a few subtle hints that she wants to come and visit once we are settled in, but honestly I don't know what her intentions are." Bella said with a frown pausing to contemplate that for a moment. "If she does though, I expect both of you to mind your manners. At least to her face, Ray and I taught you that much." Bella continued with a slight smile.

"Oui mère." Grant said with a grin always up for some fun.

"Of course aunty Bella." Chris added with her own small mischievous grin.

It took another hour or so before Bella and her two young companions were on their way back to their new home. Bella was still smiling at the fake medical reports she and Hiro came up with enabling both young mutants to wear sunglasses during school. Apparently they had an eye condition making their eyes especially sensitive to sunlight, to the point it could possibly blind them. While only Grant's eyes were light sensitive, both were quite capable of walking around without sunglasses. They all thought about possibly giving at least Chris contacts to hide her mutation but Chris found contacts to be extremely uncomfortable. Chris also hated to have an obvious blind spot right in front of her and she still was having trouble with her mutation. While her power lets her see three hundred sixty degrees around her and through solid objects, Chris had trouble concentrating on seeing just through a single point from time to time. She had a handle on her mental capabilities, having telepathy and telekinesis; but she still was working on mastering her vision.

Once they got to the house Bella was pleased to see things had fallen into place rather well while she was gone. The furniture was in place, obviously Dolph's doing, and the food was put away. Hiro was sitting in the living room pouring over his lap top as per usual these days. Dante was lying on the couch taking a nap. She could hear Dolph in the kitchen humming and from the smell in the air cooking lunch.

"Go on and find something to do you two." Bella said letting her two young charges go entertain themselves. "Where are Ray and Richard?" She asked sitting down next to Hiro on the loveseat after Grant and Chris rushed off towards their rooms.

"Ray-san found a room down in the cellar that she says is perfect for her magic. She asked Richard-san to help get things ready so all she will need to do is bring the vampire we catch down there and she can put up the shield. She still hasn't said anything about what will happen to the vampire afterwards but I assume we will get rid of it once it has served its purpose." Hiro responded while Bella pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"We'll just have to wait and see then. What have you found out?" Bella asked blowing out some smoke, careful not to give her friend a face full. She knew her friends accepted her bad habits but some of them didn't have the same habits as her. Hiro in particular didn't care for smoking; he was much more into drinking himself under the table when he wanted to relax.

"Well, so far it seems the house was bought a year ago after the previous owners vanished without a trace. It was converted into a small local museum featuring local artifacts and displays about Naples' history. The current owners seemed to have come from the upper east region of Russia, whether they have any connection with their current city of residence I haven't found out. What is interesting is the fact that it seems they don't show up much on anything other than the deed to the house." Hiro said making Bella hum in thought as she leaned back to enjoy her nicotine fix.

"That is suspicious all right. Have we heard from Mad yet?" Bella asked curiously since her friend was indeed still staking out the place. Madison had spent most of her time there in fact, only returning to the hotel to sleep when she needed and leaving the area when she needed to eat or go the bathroom.

"Not yet, but she should be checking in soon." Hiro said getting a nod from Bella. "I take it Grant-kun and Chris-chan are enrolled in school now?"

"Yes, they will be starting tomorrow. They already have all they need supply wise. They each had to take a test before we left to find their placing. I think the teacher in charge of the test was surprised by how much we've already taught them. Grant alone could teach the computer class." Bella said with a small bit of pride coloring her words.

"They are smart for their age, but with all the opportunities they had to learn from I'm not surprised." Hiro admitted with a smile. Suddenly Hiro's cell phone rang making him pick it up. Bella didn't pay much attention to the conversation that followed but figured it was something important from the look on his face. It wasn't long before he was hanging up though.

"What was that about?" Bella asked somewhat curious when Hiro turned to her.

"That was Mad-san, she is coming back. She believes the place to truly be a vampire coven." Hiro answered making Bella stand up with a sigh.

"When will she get here?" Bella asked curiously.

"In an hour." Hiro said raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go tell Ray and Dolph we're going to have a meeting in an hour. I think we should put that shield up as soon as possible. I don't want to think about letting whatever is left of the vampire race the ability to escape us now that we have them almost cornered in one area." Bella said getting a nod from Hiro. "Would you mind getting a blue print of the house in case it is a coven and we need a plan of attack?"

"Of course Bella-san." Hiro said before turning to the still sleeping Dante and throwing a pillow at him. Bella smiled hearing Hiro telling Dante they need to get to work as she left the living room for the cellar.

"A little more to the left please Richard." Ray was saying as Bella found the room Hiro was talking about. It was obvious by the old racks the cellar had once been used to hold wine and off to the right there was a medium sized room that Ray took over. As Bella walked in and saw some old dusty jars on some equally old shelves she figured this room once contained preserves and other canned foods. At the moment Ray was having Richard move a large heavy looking old oak table around the room. Bella also noticed Ray had cleared out a good section of the floor and already had a few pentagram drawings laid out. The green haired woman was currently mapping out candles on the chalk on the floor. "That's perfect." Ray said glancing up from her work.

"Well you've certainly made yourself hat home." Bella commented looking around, happy to note a previous tenant found it wise to put electricity in the old house's cellar. It was made obvious by the lone light bulb hanging down from the ceiling illuminating the room in a low glow.

"It's not my work area in Seattle but it will do. So are our two miscreants going to school?" Ray asked pausing in what she was doing to turn to Bella.

"Yes, they will be starting tomorrow." Bella said carefully navigating around the chalk lines on the floor to lean against an old pine desk pushed up against one of the walls. Bella was amused to note that the desk already had Ray's magic trunk on it. The blue trunk was open and already many magic related things were out on the desk and slowly getting scattered around the room. "I came down here to tell you Mad called. From what Hiro told me she's adamant that the museum is actually a vampire coven in disguise. She's going to be here in an hour so we'll most likely have a meeting to discuss what's going to happen."

"In that case I should hurry up then. Richard could you grab that vile of blue liquid for me please?" Ray asked pointing to a group of test tubes filled with different colored liquids. Richard went over to the shelf the vials were on and picked up the one Ray wanted.

"What are you up to?" Bella asked curious. She knew from the way Ray was laying out things she was about to perform a spell of some sort.

"Well when you told us about the museum Mad was staking out, I looked back in my grimoire and found a spell that could help us determine if there is in fact a supernatural being present there." Ray said with a smile motioning to a thick old looking leather bound book she was sitting next to.

"Ah, well I'll leave you alone then. I still have to tell Dolph what's up. Unless you need my help with anything, that is." Bella said pushing off the desk but looking at her friend curiously.

"No, Richard is the only help I need right now." Ray said with a smile getting a nod from Bella as she once again carefully made her way to the door. While Ray was friendly and calm most of the time, Bella knew she could become quiet agitated if someone messed up her magical things. So the brunette took extra care in not smudging a single line on the floor or knocking over a candle on her trek to the door.

Once she got back into the cellar Bella easily made her way back up towards the kitchen. Once there she smiled slightly at the sight that greeted her. Though Dolph always wore nice dress shirts and slacks, he currently had his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a red apron on. The cat like man was currently kneading dough with his hands, obviously well on his way to making homemade bread for dinner. He was also humming along to the radio set up on one of the counters in a corner so it was out of the way.

"Enjoying yourself?" Bella asked with a smile as her English friend jumped slightly. As much as she hated to admit it, she really loved to sneak up behind the man and startle him. Sometimes she even got him so startled he would jump onto the ceiling and stick there thanks to his claw like nails. It reminded her of the old cartoons she used to watch as a child, but she made sure not to startle him too much or be cruel about it. The man was after all her friend first and foremost.

"Ms. Bella, when did you get back?" Dolph asked after glancing over his shoulder to see who had snuck up on him.

"A few minutes ago." Bella answered going over to the counter next to her friend to lean against it. "I talked to Hiro and we got a call from Mad. She's saying the museum she's spying on is a vampire coven. Ray is going to perform a spell that should indicate if there is a supernatural being on the property there, or so she says. Hiro and Dante are already gathering further information about the place. So I just came in to tell you in about fifty minutes we will have a meeting in the living room."

"Very well then, will you be calling our werewolf friends here in Naples?" Dolph asked curiously tilting his head, one of his cat ears falling flat giving him an even more curious look than his raised eyebrow.

"I wasn't planning on it. As much as I like the support we are getting from Niccola Ricci there is just something I don't like about her. It could be she reminds me of some people I've known in the past but I don't know. I just don't think it's wise to trust her too much for some reason." Bella said with a frown.

"Well whatever you do, trust your instincts. It seems everything works out for you when you do." Dolph said with a smile.

"So why are you making bread?" Bella asked looking at what her friend was doing.

"I wanted to thank the werewolves that helped us with the repairs and moving in here. Since I know from staying at Richard's pub that werewolves have large appetites I think they wouldn't mind some bread. I was going to make pies, but decided against it because I don't have enough ingredients to make more than a few pies at a time." Dolph said with a smile.

"Why not make brownies then? I like brownies." Bella said curious as to why Dolph chose bread of all things.

"I decided against sweats because I know more than a few people in this house have a rather large sweet tooth." Dolph said with a smile. "I wanted to make sure they got their thank you gifts without someone trying to eat it before they receive it."

"Yea, that makes sense." Bella said with a slight pout making Dolph laugh.

"So have you thought of what you're going to do after we've finished what we've started?" Dolph asked curiously looking at his friend and leader.

"I want to say yes, but actually I've been so focuses on our task at hand I haven't given much thought to it. I know how much energy I've been spending on eliminating vampires, but for a long time it seemed that our goal was so far away what I'll do after we reach it hasn't crossed my mind. Part of me doesn't want to think about it, I don't even know if I'll make it through all the way to see the end of this." Bella said looking down with a frown. Now she thought about it as soon as the shield went up she would be so close to eliminating the vampire race it wasn't funny. Really she hadn't even thought about what she would do after taking down the Volturi, she was just so focused on what she had to do to first take out the coven. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, and don't worry about not surviving this final battle coming up on the horizon. I know for a fact that Ms. Mad, I, and the rest of our friends would do anything to see you follow through with your goal." Dolph reassured her.

"Anything, even give your life?" Bella asked with a frown not wanting to lose any of her friends to her goal. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if that happened.

"Anything." Dolph said with a nod seeing the conflicting emotions on Bella's face. She looked like she wanted to be proud to have such loyal friends, but on the other hand she was unsettled by that declaration. That was one thing Dolph really liked about her, despite being rather ambitious and vicious; Bella truly cared about the wellbeing of the people she led. She was always triple checking her plans to make sure no one got killed and if possible walked away without a scratch. That quality was what kept Dolph and the others so loyal to Bella, they knew no matter what the brunette woman would watch their backs just as fiercely as they watched hers.

"Anything." Bella repeated to herself before snorting and standing up. "Well do me a favor and make sure anything includes dying of old age. I don't want to attend any early funerals anytime soon." Bella said before walking out of the kitchen, not bothering to hear Dolph's reply.

It wasn't long before Madison showed up and the group gathered in the living room. "So this is what I found out. There are actually four tours that go through that particular museum and from the looks of it they all are affected by the same disorienting sort of force once they enter the place. The museum itself is dimly lit, casting some creepy shadows here and there all over the place as well. The neighbors told me that though the owners of the museum have relatives here in Italy and are rich no one ever sees them. The people that do live there only come out at night from what I've seen and the guide herself lives there. It takes about four hours for her to get ready to get to work as well. I've only seen a few people outside of the tour group exit the place and it's only at night, added to that they are pretty well covered." Madison reported as she balanced on the back of the couch.

"What did you find out Ray?" Bella asked curious to what Ray's spell told her.

"Well it seems there is a supernatural presence somewhere in the museum but when I reviewed the spell it said it would also pick up on magical artifacts. There's a chance that it could have hit on something of that nature as well." Ray said a little sheepish.

"While that's a possibility with what Mad has told us it probably isn't likely. What about you two?" Bella asked turning to Hiro and Dante.

"There are the facts that I recovered about the owners beforehand. Such as them being from east northern Russia and such, but I also found out how many people occupy the house. If what I found out is true then we will be dealing with two covens that are staying together. While the house is in the name of one coven I found the tour is in the name of another." Hiro said getting a nod from Bella who turned to Dante.

"I managed to locate the blue prints of the museum. There are a few strange inconsistencies on the map senorita. Such as this door, it goes to seemingly nowhere and was put there recently. There are records saying the current owners had to renovate a bit before opening the museum, so either this door and several others were there prior to the renovations or put there purposely." Dante said pulling out the copy of the blue prints he managed to get his hands on.

"All in all we should find a way to put someone in the building that knows about vampires." Dolph said with a frown. "If it's not vampires then we don't want to attack without purpose, it will give away that we are in Italy and could cause a stir with those we are after."

"I'll go." Madison said raising her hand.

"Are you sure? Dolph can sneak in without anyone knowing." Bella asked with a frown getting a nod from Dolph.

"Well true but it would be less suspicious if a tourist just walked through with the group. If Bella stands nearby she can shield me from whatever is causing people to become disoriented. That way, I can be somewhat on guard should I be targeted." Madison said making Bella frown.

"She has a point senorita. If Dolph accidentally knocked something over or they realize something amiss our cover will most likely be blown regardless. You know vampires have become especially paranoid ever since their numbers started to decrease at a rapid rate." Dante said and Bella sighed.

"What do you guys think?" Bella asked turning to Ray, Dolph, and Hiro.

"I honestly agree with this plan." Ray said getting a hesitant nod from Dolph. The Englishman wanted to be the one to infiltrate the museum but knew Dante presented several strong points in Madison going instead.

"I agree but I think we should take extra precaution for Mad-san's safety." Hiro answered making Bella relax a little and smile. She was glad to see at least one of her friends sort of sided with her on this one.

"That's that then, what's this extra precaution you want us to take?" Madison asked practically buzzing with energy now. She was excited about the upcoming task before her, but nervous as well. She knew she would be walking right into a wolf den without a hell of a lot of backup she usually would have.

"Well I do know a spell that will make you seem rather unpleasant for any possible threat. It won't be anything powerful but it should persuade anyone that wants to harm you to not try anything. At best it will trick any possible vampires into passing over you as a prey item." Ray said making both Bella and Madison sigh in relief.

"That's perfect, how long until it's ready and Mad can go in?" Bella asked now happy there would be a much safer way to go about what lay ahead of them.

"I have all the supplies here. I can cast it tomorrow morning so Mad can catch the morning tour. It will wear off by mid-afternoon though." Ray advised getting a nod from Mad.

"Morning tour it is." Mad agreed somewhat reluctantly, she wanted to sleep in but that wasn't looking likely just yet. She figured she would be able to sleep in after they put up the shield around Italy.

"In the meant time I think we should plan now in case it is a vampire coven. The faster we strike the less time they have to realize we're going to attack." Bella said getting agreements around.

The group poured over everything they knew and had gotten their hands on. Bella was impressed that Hiro even managed to find a list of artifacts said to be in the museum. As they planned they bounced the idea of getting some help from the werewolf pack in Naples around. Bella didn't think it was necessary since they had dealt with large numbers of vampires before. However, in the end it was agreed to get Niccola's help. Bella finally caved when Ray pointed out they would need to bring back a vampire that wasn't barbecued. So in the end they planned incased the wolves did join them and Richard called Niccola with the request.

Early the next morning things were set into motion. As Dante dropped Grant and Chris off for their first day of school, Ray preformed the spell on Madison. By the time Madison was in the tour group taking in the sights, Niccola agreed to help the group with their plan of attack. Bella and the werewolf sat down and went over everything that they had come up with. At first Niccola didn't like the plan since her werewolves wouldn't have a large part during the fighting, and then Bella pointed out that it was her group that would be targeted the most. Bella would rather have the vampires target a well known threat than one of them escaping and reporting back to the Volturi that werewolves were working for her. She rather liked the ace up her sleeve she had thanks to being on good terms with werewolves in general.

Once Niccola was up to date with everything it had been a waiting game for the group. They had to wait until Madison completed the tour and reported back. Dolph was stationed at the museum to act as backup should Madison's disguise fail. None of them thought it would but they knew to prepare for the worse but expect the best in these situations. By the time Madison made it through the tour, thankfully unharmed, they knew they were indeed dealing with vampires. Madison only caught sight of two different crests supporting Hiro's thought of two covens staying together.

After Madison came back they sat down and started to work out the little details of their upcoming attack. After many years of coordinating attacks of this nature Bella found it almost routine. It would have been rather routine had Niccola kept quiet and just let them work out the details. In the end and after more than a few mild arguments between Bella and Niccola, they were ready to attack. They just had to get into position and wait for the sun to set.

"Are you still sure it's alright to leave those two children alone at your hideout?" Niccola asked as she stood next to Bella on a rooftop. They were a few buildings away on an apartment complex; they were far enough to be unseen close enough to know what was going on.

"For the last time I'm sure. I taught my boy well enough that he can be just fine on his own for a few hours, the same can be said for Ray and Chris." Bella all but growled as she wondered who had the bright idea of putting the werewolf with her. She was very close to skinning the woman alive at this point and wouldn't feel an inch of regret doing it. "What is your problem anyway?"

"My problem? What do you mean by that Ms. Swan?" Niccola asked turning to the surly mutant that was just itching to attack her.

"Ever since you got wind of what we are doing you've tried several times to undermine my authority in my own group. Do you not believe I am capable of commanding my own people?" Bella asked wanting to get this issue over and done with quickly. If it had been the werewolves taking the lead of this attack then she would have no problem letting them, but it was her group that would be doing most of the fighting. It didn't help that for the past few hours Niccola has done nothing but challenge everything that Bella has done or said.

"Of course not, I'm just curious as to why you consider the opinions of your people when making decisions." Niccola said making Bella mentally gape at her for a moment, that didn't take away from the annoyance the brunette felt however.

"Whatever Ricci." Bella snarled flashing her fangs and glaring murderously at the woman. Her father once told her there would be people in this world she wouldn't get along with all of the time; Bella couldn't help but think he was right. There was just something about Niccola Ricci that rubbed Bella the wrong way.

The two fell silent after that while they waited. For Bella the wait was a pleasant one, if only her companion didn't fidget so much. The werewolf was glancing at her every so often when she thought Bella wasn't paying attention. If it wasn't the glances then Niccola was picking at her French manicure. Bella almost thought Niccola would start biting her nails, but instead the werewolf started to play with her hair. It was when Niccola started to fidget with her bracelets that Bella decided from now on she was letting someone else deal with the werewolf. Alpha or not, Bella was beginning to despise her ally and that wouldn't bode well for her group if she got into a brawl with the other woman.

Luckily before it came down to a fight between the two leaders, the signal they were waiting for was given. Bella simply jumped off the roof of the building she was on and made her way around to the back of the museum where she met up with Madison. "Ready?" Bella asked making Madison grin.

"As I'll ever be." Madison answered before Bella literally ran through the back door.

It wasn't long before Bella found herself in the thick of the fight. Thanks both to her group's powers and the fact they had the element of surprise things were moving smoothly. That was until Bella found herself looking at a big, tall, broad shouldered male vampire with short cropped black hair and a strange skin tone that probably was olive toned once. Standing next to him was another male vampire, only this one was slightly shorter, slimmer, and had more effeminate features; he also had long silky black hair that hung around his shoulders. Bella was slightly amused to note they both wore dark clothes that almost seemed to match, but it wasn't until she saw the chains hanging around their necks did she start in surprise. While she hadn't yet to see a Volturi crest in something other than a small photo the crests hanging from the chains around the vampires' necks looked rather similar to what she had seen.

"Well what do we have here? I didn't know there were more than two different covens in this place." Bella said looking at both vampires curiously.

"Sorry to disappoint you but we don't live here." The tall one said with a smirk.

"Really, then who are you vampire?" Bella asked and she didn't have to look to know Madison bounced up to her side.

"My name is Felix and this is my friend Corin, we're part of the Volturi." The tall one responded while the short one looked down his nose at her.

"Why aren't you and your group affected by my power?" Corin growled glaring at both women coldly. "I've been trying to influence your focus ever since this attack has begun and still you fight as if I've done nothing."

"Oh, you can hate Bells for that, most psychics do." Madison said with a grin. "In the mean time let's play pretty boy!" Madison exclaimed with a large excited maniacal grin across her features. That was the only warning Corin got before the blonde charged, and soon after knocked the vampire through the wall he was standing in front of. Bella didn't mind, any vampire they couldn't handle on their own was soon gained up upon by other members of her group.

"Bells, ah you must be Bella then, Bella Swan." Felix said bringing Bella's attention to him. "I have heard a lot about you."

"Most vampires have." Bella said watching the vampire in front of her calmly. She could tell when he was getting ready to attack thanks to the fact he shifted his weight on his feet.

"Of course, you're quite the celebrity and a beautiful celebrity at that." He said and she was glad she had gotten some control over her emotions. Otherwise she wouldn't have managed to duck under the left hook Felix sent her way.

While Felix was still following through with his punch Bella took the opportunity to land an attack of her own. Using her claws she aimed for and struck Felix just inside the armpit of his left arm, dragging her claws straight through towards his back. If he had been human Bella would have been certain that one hit would have him down and out of the fight thanks to the fact she cut at least two inches into his body, but Felix was a vampire. She had to duck a backhand from his left arm, but she didn't quite dodge the right uppercut that hit her in the jaw. As she was thrown rather forcefully to the ground by the strength behind the hit she realized just what his special power might be.

Using the momentum of her fall she rolled back onto her feet and got right back up into a fighting stance. She knew this fight would be a completely physical and tactical one, since she doubted he had a mental ability like some vampires. Still on the lookout for a potential sneak attack she once again dodged a punch headed for her head. Ducking down to the ground she went to kick his legs out from under him. Unfortunately he dodged just in time and Bella had to dive out of the way from the returning kick he sent at her. She was up in a second and managed to land a powerful roundhouse kick to his stomach but it only sent him sliding back a meter or two. She was slightly disappointed he hadn't gone down thanks to the force she used, but had very little time to contemplate that now as she ducked under a flying coffee table.

The next few minutes were filled with Bella and Felix exchanging blows, neither giving an inch. Bella was glad for her armor as she sprung back onto her feet and struck quickly, trying to tear straight through the vampire before her. The hits he delivered would be more than enough to shatter bones and due to his surprising speed and dexterity he was a virtual fighting machine. But Bella returned everything she got with equal ferocity and strength. Her armor clad fingers were like ten extremely sharp knives, her armor and healing factor let her stand toe to toe with him without injury, and her extensive training gave her much more speed, strength, and stamina than most humans. That aside Bella knew as she was thrown once more into a wall that she wouldn't be able to keep up with this pace forever. She was aware that despite her mutations and training she was in fact still just human with her own limitation, and as long as Felix was well fed he would be able to fight continuously for years if necessary.

Bella snarled as Felix grabbed her arm that was almost always through his chest cavity and pulled it out. The next things she knew she was being lifted off the ground by her throat and then being slammed down on her back. Gasping from having the wind knocked out of her for a second she lifted one of her legs up to hook around his neck. Disregarding the fact he could possibly break her neck she twisted her arm and body. She was happy to see she had enough leverage on him to force him to not only let go of her arm but end up on his back on the ground. Twisting the wrist of the hand around her neck to make him let go, she took his momentary pause of shock to make a swipe at his neck with her claws.

Despite Bella actually sitting on the vampire he still managed to stop her from beheading him. That was due mostly impart to the fact Bella forgot to pin the other arm she wasn't holding. So now with her wrist in his hand, he used his superior physique to flip the two of them. Bella found herself pinned under a smirk Felix as he fought to gain better control over her armor encased flailing limbs. He was surprise however when she sank her long sharp fangs into one his forearms and twisted her head to get him to loosen his grip on her wrist. It was at that moment when Bella's arms were free and Felix was just straddling her waist that she got some much needed back up in the form of a fast moving silver glob.

Bella smirked as she got back to her feet to see Felix struggling with her blonde haired friend who was currently in her liquid form. The reason why Madison was such a successful vampire hunter was she simply overwhelmed her opponent before reshaping herself to cut the vampire to pieces. It was rather simple and effective. It also meant Madison didn't have to waste energy struggling against her opponents in a fist fight.

Bella stood back and watched as Felix struggled with Madison for a few moments. Just as her blonde friend was about to tear the vampire apart however, Felix managed to get free of the mutant's grip. Bella fell into a fighting stance ready to help her friend but it seem Felix was done fighting for now. He gave Bella one last indecipherable look before jumping out of a nearby window and rushing off into the night.

After Bella got over the shock of seeing the large vampire get away, she rushed to help her other friends. She needn't worry though since by the time Felix left the rest of her friends managed to take down the other vampires in the house. Ray also managed to capture one vampire in a spell making him unable to move, even if he was struggling to get free to attack them. Bella was a little concerned to see the werewolves that were supposed to wait outside and only attack if they were absolutely needed in the house. While Bella would admit at least she had a tough fight, her friends had been perfectly capable of the task they were given.

Brushing off her mild annoyance that her plans were disregarded by the werewolves, Bella set them to the task of covering up the fight. Normally she'd set one of her friends with that task but she felt it was a perfect punishment for the ten or so wolves in the house. She didn't think they purposely went against her plans, figuring Niccola told them too, but that didn't mean she would take someone disregarding her plans lightly. While the objective of this attack was slightly different than what her group was used to, Bella planned carefully regardless to ensure not only the safety of all involved, but that the werewolves working with her wouldn't be exposed.

All in all Bella was glad to be back at their base. As soon as they got back Ray and two werewolves dragged their captive vampire down to the cellar. Ray wasn't taking any chances and was going to put up her shield as soon as possible. In fact Bella had sent Ray, the wolves, and the vampire ahead while she barked out orders to the group still there. She also sent her other friends ahead so they could gather the information they had gathered recently and have a few moments to relax before she went back for a debriefing.

Bella found her friends in the living room waiting for her. She smiled seeing all of them were safe; Dolph and Hiro were slightly banged up but otherwise fine. Dante on the other hand had his shirt off and had a rather deep cut on his side that Grant was expertly stitching up. Bella didn't see Chris so she figured the young girl was down in the cellar helping Ray with the spell. Madison on the other hand was sprawled out on an armchair with an arm over her eyes. Bella didn't blame the blonde since even she was tired after fighting with Felix.

"Mère, are you alright?" Grant asked spotting Bella standing in the doorway.

"Yea, so what happened in there?" Bella asked taking command as she walked into the room and leaned her hip against the armrest of the couch.

"We fought two covens of vampires." Madison answered still not moving from her position but smirked when Bella glared at her.

"She is right Bella-san, but we recovered three different types of crests. Two of those crests are obviously from the two covens living at the museum, but we have a single different one." Hiro answered laying out the crests they recovered.

"Well these two are definitely from the covens we were anticipating to be there. This one is a Volturi crest and I assume Mad got it." Bella said picking up the Volturi crest off the table.

"Yea, Corin happily handed it over after he was a smoking pile of ash." Mad said before shifting. "But we didn't get that other Volturi vampire there, what was his name?"

"Felix." Bella answered absently as she thought of the vampire they missed. While normally she would be pissed off they let one get away, she knew it would take at least two of them to bring down that vampire.

"He got away?" Dante asked with a frown. "Does he know about the werewolves we brought with us?"

"I don't think so; he was too preoccupied with fighting Bells." Madison said with a sigh as she sat up slowly. "He also hits like a freight train."

"He escaped out a window and into a side alley. Unless he took a minute to look inside to see the fighting still going on he probably missed that little detail." Bella said with a frown. "Whose bright idea was it to send the werewolves in anyway?"

"You didn't give the signal?" Dolph asked looking at Bella in slight shock.

"No, I was too busy being thrown around by a Volturi vampire." Bella said with a sharp edge to her voice. "Did any of you give the signal?"

"Nah, I was helping you with those two bastards upstairs." Madison said with a frown turning to the others. The ones present just shook their heads trying to figure out why the wolves attacked in the first place.

"I'll ask Ray when she's done." Dolph volunteered getting a nod from Bella.

"Speaking of that, once the shield is up do you think we can figure out a way to see just how many vampires are in Italy? I know we would have to stretch our resources anyway to eliminate them all, but it would be nice to know exactly what sort of force we're up against." Dante said as Grant finished taking care of his wound.

"I'm sure there's a way, either with a spell Ray may know or by cross referencing police files." Bella said getting a nod from Hiro who knew what his next task would be.

"All in all it has been a rather successful raid. Although it is probably safe to assume the Volturi will know of our presences here in Italy. Do you think we should expect more resistance from them?" Dolph asked with a frown.

"I think we should count on it. For nearly seven years we've been hunting down and destroying vampires, they probably don't like us very much." Bella said with a vicious smirk.

"That would be an understatement my sister. They probably think we're the boogieman or something." Madison said with a grin.

"Either way we have our work cut out for us now that we've been exposed. What should we do about our alliance with the werewolves?" Hiro asked curiously.

"I think we should only call on them if it's too high risk for us to go alone or if we are in a low population density. They've proven that unlike our allies in England to be rather quick to interfere with our plans here." Bella answered getting nods from the group.

It was at that moment that Bella and the others felt a charge enter the air. For a second the air around them pulsed with electricity before suddenly spreading outwards. It felt a lot like when Grant pulled up one of his kinetic shields. The only difference was instead of leaving a charged atmosphere in its wake this shield seemed to simply vanish from the room. It took a minute before the group realized that the energy they felt was the shield going up.

"My now that was different." A voice said and Bella looked at the door to find Niccola and several of her wolves walking in. Richard was also by the door looking rather exasperated and Bella figured it was because the female Alpha had followed him home. "What was that?"

"Ray put a shield up around Italy that will stop any vampires from escaping the country. It will make hunting them down much easier." Bella answered getting a delighted look from the other woman.

"Prefect, I know a few of the other packs will be delighted to hear this." Niccola said with a grin. "I shall be sure to tell the other alphas as soon as possible. But for now let us celebrate our victory tonight." Before Bella could object, since she and her friends were dead tired anyway, Niccola was already directing everything so they could party. In the end Bella gave a resigned sigh and an apologetic look to her friends since it looked as if Niccola wouldn't take no for an answer.

An hour or so later found Bella leaning against a wall in the ballroom nursing a glass of wine and watching the crowd around her party. She was mentally going over everything she learned from Ray after Dolph talked to the green haired woman. Bella wasn't pleased to note that Ray didn't give the signal for the werewolves to attack. Bella also narrowed her eyes at the jewelry Niccola was currently wearing, jewelry Bella was sure she saw at the museum when she was thrown into a vanity. At the moment her narrowed eyes watched as Niccola, clad in a red dress that left very little to the imagination, tried to pursued Dolph into letting her touch his ears.

"Is there something the matter?" A voice next to her asked. She tore her eyes away from her friend to look curiously up at the person speaking to her, only to find herself looking into the gray eyes of Richard. "You look a little pissed off."

"It's nothing; Ricci is just starting to get on my bad side is all." Bella responded turning back to find Dolph making an escape for it thanks to Madison intervening on his behalf.

"Ah and how are you after your defeat?" Richard asked looking her over for any obvious injuries, not that it was necessary.

"I'm fine. My ego is a little bruised, but I've gotten used to the fact that no matter how strong I've gotten, there will always be someone stronger than me. I just don't like the fact that one of those people just happens to be a vampire." Bella answered with frown.

"It was bound to happen sometime. So what's this vampire like?" Richard asked leaning back against the wall next to Bella.

"Tall, dark, and a brick wall." Bella said with a snort. "His name is Felix and he's part of the Volturi. He doesn't seem to have any power outside of being one hell of a fighter."

"Volturi? Aren't they the ones that run vampire society?" Richard asked straightening a little in surprise.

"The very same." Bella answered before taking a sip of her drink.

"And that doesn't bother you that they know you're here?" Richard asked with a tinge of concern to his voice.

"It bothers me slightly but by now I've gotten used to facing attacks from vampire, so it won't surprise me." Bella said with a snort. "I'm just going to be glad when this is all over."

"And what do you plan to do then?" Richard asked making Bella tilt her head to the side in consideration.

"I don't know really. I haven't planned that far. I'll probably just find a place to settle down and let Grant spend the rest of his teenage years peacefully, or as peacefully as possible." Bella said with a shrug.

"You can always stay with me in England." Richard said making Bella look up at him with a raised eyebrow. "You said it yourself a couple days ago; S.H.I.E.L.D. is still after you if you return to the states. At least in England you won't have the local government after you."

"Yes but there is a far greater threat no matter where I go, it's called HYDRA." Bella said with a frown. "They've been after me just as long as vampires have and they are by no means a friendly bunch you invite over for tea."

"Oh Bella I have some good news!" Niccola said interrupting whatever Richard was going to say next. The two turned to the Naples Alpha that was grinning at them. "I spoke with the other alphas just a little while ago over the phone. They agreed to help locate and eliminate vampires in their area, although since they don't want too much attention drawn to them they will focus their efforts on small less populated areas first."

"Perfect, this way I and my team can focus on taking down the Volturi. With their law enforcement out of the way they will start making mistakes that will cost them." Bella said pleased to hear the news. However Bella didn't miss the slightly nasty look Niccola was giving her, while all the while the Italian woman was batting her eyelashes at Richard. Somewhere in the back of her mind Bella was amused, but she was too busy analyzing the jewelry Niccola was wearing now that it was up close. Bella was now even more certain the jewelry came from the museum and suddenly she was glad she was going to limit Niccola's involvement in vampire hunts.

Just as Bella was about to ask Niccola about the jewelry and hopefully not kill the werewolf, someone called for everyone's attention. "Thank you, I'm sorry to interrupt the festivities, but Grant and Chris need to head to bed. They have school in the morning." Ray said with a smile.

"Awe, tante, can't we stay up just a little while longer." Grant whined while Chris was giving her adopted mother her best puppy dog eyes.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Ray on this one." Bella said stepping forward, happy to find an exit to the party. "Come on, off to bed with you." Bella said nudging Grant towards the door and then following him as he left. "Oh stop pouting; you can't be dead tired on your second day of school. It will make me look bad as a parent."

"Oui, wait what are you doing anyway mère?" Grant asked looking up at her suspiciously.

"I'm tucking you in, of course." Bella said with a slight smirk getting a snort from her adopted son.

"Yea right, you're just using this as an excuse to get away from that party." Grant said with a slight smile only to get one in return.

"Perhaps, but you are still my little boy you know, even if you are thirteen and only a half of a foot shorter than me." Bella said ruffling his curly black hair.

"Mère, when are you going to stop babying me?" Grant asked with a frown as he batted away her hand.

"I want to say never, but I know your pride wouldn't take it. So I will say I'll stop babying you when you're tall enough to look me straight in the eyes. Any babying I do after that will be considered mothering, fair enough?" Bella asked giving Grant a wink even as he stuck his tongue out at her.

"Then you'll have to switch to mothering me soon. I'm due for another growth spurt any day now." Grant said confidently making Bella laugh.

"Whatever you say kiddo, whatever you say." Bella said once she calmed down. "But seriously it is time for you to get some sleep."

"Oui mère just one thing first." Grant said looking up at Bella with a mischievous grin. "Why was that one lady, Ricci I think, trying to glare holes into your head?"

"Oh that, I think she has a thing for Richard. If she does then she's just jealous that Richard is my friend or talks to me so easily. She does the same thing to Ray and Mad." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "Now that you're curiosity is sated go to bed."

"Night mère." Grant said with a smile before rushing off towards his room.

"Yea, night kid." Bella whispered with a smile on her face. She couldn't believe just how much that little boy she found curled up in a closet crying had grown. It was beginning to make her feel old. Pushing those thoughts aside she turned to go to her room. She was dead tired and just wanted to sleep. She didn't even worry about the party down stairs. She already had Dolph and Hiro taking care of getting that sorted out before they went to bed. She just hoped they managed to break up the party before the sun rose. She had a feeling after tonight things would start to really heat up in their fight against the Volturi.

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YAY! The Volturi have hit the scene, sort of. Anyway I know I have trouble with writing fight scenes so please tell me how I did. I may write a few more fight scenes in future chapters for practice if I can figure out how to put them in. Anyway, things are picking up and Bella is starting to make her way to the final show down. So yea, I have to go start writing the next chapter, tootles!

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	4. Chapter 4

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Well I'm glad to see people are voting on my poll. I'll probably keep it up for a few more chapters. Anyway, this and probably the next chapter are slightly short. Well shorter than the last one at least. I would have had it up sooner but I had to work out a slight snag in the plot line I noticed while writing this chapter. It's worked out thankfully so things should be moving rather smoothly now. Anyway, thanks to all those that have favorited, reviewed, and/or alerted this story. The next chapter should be up at the end of the week.

**ENJOY!**

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Softly golden leaves fell around her as she stood stock still in shock. Taking a few deep breaths, smelling the autumn forest air, she tried to regain control of her emotions. Still she couldn't tear her eyes away from the person in front of her. Her gold eyes narrowed slightly as she squared her shoulders and stood to her full height. "You're dead."

"You told me that last time." Blue eyes clashed with hers but instead of the contempt she was used to seeing, those eyes held a sort of soft amusement. Now that Bella thought about it, she was used to looking into amber eyes instead of blue. "Maybe this time we can sit down and chat, or are you going to suddenly take off on me?"

"What do you want Rosalie?" Bella asked with a frown taking in the form of the other woman before her. Now that she thought about it this Rosalie was slightly different from the one she remembered. The blonde was still rather beautiful but her skin was a soft peach color, her eyes a deep blue, and overall she just seemed more human. Also Bella was amused to note, while she wore her leather, Rosalie was clad in a flowing soft white dress.

"Just a small chat, can you grant me that one favor? I know I wasn't always the nicest person in the world towards you, but I think you at least deserve some closure, just as I do." Rosalie said motioning to two white Victorian style benches in the middle of the clearing. Bella looked at the benches for a moment before taking a deep breath and making her way over to sit down. These days, if this scene played out under normal circumstances, Bella would have opted to remain standing; but some instinctive part of her knew this still just a dream. She was perfectly safe in this autumn sanctuary.

"Funny, when you were alive you would rather sneer at me than talk to me. You always were a stuck up ice princess." Bella said with a nostalgic smirk as she watched the blonde sit down in front of her.

"Yes, yes I was." Rosalie admitted with a soft smile.

"Heh, I never thought I'd see the day when you actually admit that. So what exactly do you want to chat about?" Bella asked leaning back into her chair to relax. It was odd speaking with Rosalie like this, but despite the oddness, Bella felt at ease with the situation. She wondered had things turned out different if these kinds of conversations would happen between the two of them after a few years as a family. Pushing those thoughts away, she looked Rosalie in the eye calmly waiting for the blonde to respond.

"Thank you." Rosalie said after a few seconds of silence. Bella immediately raised her eyebrows and blinked in surprise. "I mean it. Thank you."

"What are you thanking me for? I don't recall doing anything you would be grateful for." Bella was slightly surprised as Rosalie started to laugh at her response.

"In some ways you are right." Rosalie said after calming down. "At first I was very angry with you, you know. I wished for a very long time to find a way to hurt you for what you did to me and my family. Then as time went on I began to slowly forgive you for how things turned out. It wasn't easy and I was always fighting with myself as to whether or not I was doing the right thing. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity I came to a conclusion that surprised me. You gave me the one thing I had wanted for a very long time."

"Oh? What was that?" Bella asked after a short pause in the conversation.

"Freedom." Rosalie answered making Bella raise an eyebrow at her. "Yes, freedom. I never did like being a vampire you know. I had always wanted to die that night, after everything had happened. As scared as I was of dying, I realize now that I would give anything to have remained human. Once I was dead I finally got my release from the nightmare my life had become. I got the chance to come to terms with everything without worrying about the trials of life. So thank you for that, I don't expect you to understand but that doesn't matter to me."

"Um, you're welcome." Bella said slightly confused about the whole thing. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"It was the main thing I wanted to talk to you about, yes. But it seems we still have some time before you wake up so what else would you like to talk about?" Rosalie said relaxing back into her own bench.

"Do you know why this is happening? You being here in my dream I mean." Bella asked with a frown.

"I honestly don't know what the cause of it is. I do know I was given a chance to make peace with you before moving on to wherever souls go to when they die." Rosalie said with a thoughtful look on her face. "I do know that you may have a few more encounters like this before whatever caused this ends."

"Are you?" Bella asked suddenly.

"Am I what?"

"At peace?" Bella clarified giving Rosalie a measured look. She filed the other bit of information away to examine later.

"Yes, I am. I just wanted to thank you for what you've done for me. Now I can move on and not worry about leaving anything unfinished when I go." Rosalie said with a nod.

"Mind if I ask you something before you go?" Bella ventured cautiously.

"Not at all, what do you want to know?" Rosalie asked making Bella bite her lip slightly.

"Why were you so against me becoming part of your family? You know with Edward and everything." Bella asked the one thing that had bugged her for years. She watched as Rosalie opened her mouth to respond but gave a short pause. The blonde closed her mouth suddenly and looked at the ground thoughtfully. Bella didn't mind the wait; she just hoped she'd get an answer to her question.

"For a long time I was jealous and angry with you." Rosalie admitted finally looking Bella in the eye. "Unlike me, you had a choice. You could choose what you wanted. You could choose to remain human." Rosalie said before taking a deep breath. "Do you know how much I hated that? You had your fate in your hands and yet you didn't even think. You just threw yourself at Edward without once thinking about any possible consequences. I won't deny I was bitter. But I didn't want you to throw away your humanity because of some man, no matter how perfect or amazing he seemed. I knew Edward had his faults and I thought if I was a bitch I could save you from yourself. In hindsight that was probably a plan destined to fail but things happened. I'm not saying what I did was right or anything. In fact I was so close to just grabbing you by the shoulders and shaking you. I guess I didn't have to, Jasper just needed to nearly attack you."

"I guess so." Bella said with a small smile. "Though I think your plan of giving me the chance of dying of old age back fired. A friend of mine informed me that it's very likely I will remain twenty five for centuries to come if no one kills me outright."

"If that's the case then I can see where my plan blew up in my face. On the other hand at least this immortality you've been cursed with is natural, rather than forced upon you by a body-altering-venom of a vampire." Rosalie said with a slight sigh. "All in all I think you managed to get dealt a better hand than the one you were playing with before."

"You're probably right, even if some days I think my life is some god's sick attempt at entertainment." Bella said crossing her arms and regarding Rosalie calmly. "Now you said something about other dead people?"

"I don't know for certain but I have a feeling you'll have a few more dreams like this. I know for a fact that Emmett would like to speak with you before he moves on. He wanted to come now but I think it was best for us to make peace without someone butting in, it would be counterproductive." Rosalie said making Bella laugh as the brunette relaxed again.

"That's true, but damn. This whole thing makes me think we should be sitting on a patio in a sun room with a table and pot of tea between us. I honestly never would have thought we could discuss something as civilly as we have." Rosalie smiled as Bella calmed down and grinned at her. "Maybe we should have had this discussion sooner, like before you were a pile of ashes."

"Maybe, but what was done is done and there is no going back. I'm not sure why we were given this opportunity but I am grateful for it. I will leave you with one suggestion though." The blonde woman said and Bella could almost feel the shift in the air signaling their time together was drawing to a close.

"What's that?" Bella asked calmly as she stood up and walked over to the once vampire who also stood from her bench.

"Whatever these dreams or visions are, take what they give you to heart. Perhaps it is time for you to truly come to terms with what has happened to you in the past few years. Who knows, these encounters may give you the strength you need to succeed in your goal of defeating the Volturi. If it does than I will be happy to have been a part of it." Rosalie said getting a nod from Bella. "So I wouldn't call us friends, I doubt our relationship in life ever would amount to much, but you have my respect. I am honestly happy to see what kind of woman you have become without Edward."

"Yea, well I'm glad that I could help you with the whole vampire thing, I guess. I agree that we probably aren't friends but that doesn't mean you don't have some of my respect. It's nice to know at least someone was looking out for me when I was being a stupid love struck teen." Bella said holding out her hand to the blonde woman who smiled at her.

"Take care and be careful Bella. The Volturi are very powerful, and while I don't know a lot about them personally, I do know most if not all vampires feared them for a reason." Rosalie said shaking Bella's hand. The two women smiled at each other for a second before Bella was blinded by a bright white light.

Groaning Bella opened her eyes finding herself blinking up at a simple metal roof. A few seconds of contemplating the object above her, she took in the rest of her surroundings. She was currently lying among some boxes that had been broken, obviously from her probably falling on top of them. The contents of the boxes were scattered around her and she raised an eyebrow as she flicked tomato juice off of hand. "How in the fucking hell did I end up in a vegetable truck?"

Not surprised she didn't get a reply, mostly due to the fact she could smell the exhaust from the truck and feel the bumps in the road as it drove over them, Bella sighed. Knowing she would have to figure out not only how she got into the truck in the first place, but where she was, she slowly got moving. It was only then did she feel the splitting headache currently pounding in her head. Groaning once more she put her head in her hands and tried to will away the pain. She never understood just why she got headaches despite her healing abilities. "Probably just my damn luck I'm not immune to them like I'm immune to the common cold." Bella muttered to herself.

Deciding since the pain in her head was too debilitating at the moment, Bella sat back against a box of lettuce to wait it out. While she was waiting for her pain to subside, and hopefully be able to walk without looking like some intoxicated psychopath, she tried to figure out just how she ended up in the vegetable truck in the first place. The last thing she remembered was fighting a vampire coven and then getting sucker punched. After that she was vaguely aware of the sound of shattering glass before all went black. Noticing some glass embedded in her leather jacket she slowly extracted it and examined it. "Probably from a window, so I must have taken a one way trip out of the window and into the truck." Bella said pleased with the observation and the slowly subsiding headache. "And the headache is probably from head trauma; at least I didn't get a concussion." Bella said standing up only to fall back down when the truck hit a large bump. "I've got to get out of here."

A few minutes later found Bella walking through a part of Naples she was unfamiliar with, cursing a produce truck. She couldn't believe just how difficult it was to actually escape from the thing, and when she did, she was already a good ten minutes outside of the city. Now she was lost.

"Damn truck." Bella muttered as she found a fire escape to climb. It took her a minute but she finally made her way to the roof and looked around. Her vantage point, while a beautiful view, didn't do much in terms of figuring out where she was. "That's it, I don't care how damn much it costs, or how damn risky it is, I'm having Hiro put a GPS locator on our damn phones. This is to damn fucking ridiculous, getting lost in this damn city because of a fucking vegetable truck. ARGH!"

Just as she was about to throw a fit, her phone actually rang making her jump. Realizing she probably should have called her friends as soon as she woke up she blushed and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Bella, thank god, where are you?" The voice on the other end asked with relief.

"I don't really know exactly where I ended up but I'm still in Naples. I landed in some damn produce truck that nearly took me out of the city." Bella answered still looking around to try and find any indication of where she was. "Why? Is there something wrong Richard?"

"Not really but everyone was worried when Dante showed up without you. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. No physical injuries whatsoever and the headache I had waking up are gone. Now is Dante alright? Did he have any trouble with whatever vampires were left for him to take care of?"

"Yes, he is. He was going to try to call you when he couldn't find you after he got rid of the last few vampires. He didn't seem to have any trouble and he wasn't hurt, but his cell phone was broken so he rushed back here to the house."

"Okay, good, I'll fill you all in when I get back to the house. I just have to find some landmarks I'm familiar with. I think I ended up in a residential part of the city from the looks of it so it might take a bit before I get there. In the meantime is there anything important I should know right now?"

"Nothing comes to mind; just Dante recovered two Volturi crests along with the other two covens' crests we were expecting to be there."

"Good, I'll be there as soon as I can. In the mean time just tell them I got lost or something but I'm fine. See you in a few." Bella said hanging up her phone before she found herself in a game of twenty questions. There were some days Bella swore Richard was too much of a worrywart for his own good.

A few hours later found Bella sighing as she once again hit a dead end. She had finally broke down three hours ago and asked a few of the locals for directions. Unfortunately her Italian might as well been Martian and their English might as well been Gaelic for all the good it had done her. She was still lost and she was still trying to decipher if the last old man told her to turn left three or two blocks back.

Giving one last sigh Bella turned around and started to backtrack, hoping fifty times was the charm. As she walked she couldn't help but be slightly amaze with how her life had turned out. She went from small town American girl who was amazed and infatuated with a vampire, to international vampire hunting mutant with more enemies than she could shake a stick at. Well that was only slightly true, she had two main enemies, HYDRA and the Volturi. Unfortunately those two enemies had minions galore and it didn't help she just knew she had somehow attracted the interest of several other agencies across the globe.

She honestly couldn't decide which was worse, being a mutant or a vampire. They both had their pros and cons. For example, being a mutant meant she was probably somewhere really high on more than a few black lists. She also had to deal with being hunted by vampires that as far as she knew, no one really knew existed. She was sure her quarry was on someone's watch list but she had yet to meet anyone outside of her group actively hunting them down. Then there was the fact that she was being hunted, both by the very thing she was hunting and by a crazy scientist that wanted to experiment on her. All in all outside of the cool powers the whole mutant thing was a big cat and mouse game.

On the other hand, Bella wasn't sure if being a vampire was all it was cracked up to be either. Sure she would get all the benefits that came from being a vampire, but there were drawback she could see now. For one, after years of fighting, Bella realized she just didn't like the smell of blood. It could be her heightened senses coming into play but there was just something about the life liquid that made her slightly queasy when she smelt it. Not only that but she also had to take into account her way to become a vampire would mean she would be the mate of Edward. Looking back she admitted that he would always have a piece of her heart but after the whole mysticism died down she probably wouldn't have been able to stand him. He wasn't as perfect as she thought he was and realizing that made something in her ache a bit.

Suddenly Bella thought back to her strange dream she had while in the vegetable truck. For one she never wanted to dream about Rosalie ever again. She may have come to terms with the spirit of the other woman, but she was by no means happy to see the blonde. However, it was what she felt after she woke up that really brought the whole thing to her attention. Bella, for the first time, felt at peace with some small part of herself. She didn't feel as hurt or angry with Rosalie or herself after that encounter. In a way it healed something, and even now Bella could tell whatever healed it would stay healed. Stopping in an alleyway for a moment Bella thought that observation over a few times.

"Huh, maybe it's time to make peace with what has happened. Is there a difference from accepting what has happened and making peace with it?" Bella asked herself wondering if all this time she was only saying she accepted what happened to her. Deciding even if they weren't the same she would do it anyway, at least for her friends and definitely for Grant's sake, Bella started off once more. "Maybe it's time I let myself truly heal." She muttered one last time to herself before turning down another street.

A few minutes later found Bella sighing in exasperation as she stared at another dead end. She was beginning to think the people around here wanted her lost. This had to be the twelfth dead end she ran into in the past hour. It was getting to the point she was tempted just to call Niccola to have one of the wolves pick her up. However, she wasn't that desperate enough to wound her ego just yet. So turning around she started back out of the alleyway she was in. Then next few seconds happened in a blur.

She heard the sound of footsteps running towards her.

Then she felt the wind almost get knocked out of her as her back slammed against one of the nearby walls.

The next thing she knew cold hard lips were pressed forcefully against hers.

She could recognize the sudden symptoms of shock as her brain went numb. All she could do was stand there trying to get her mind to think coherently once more. Luckily enough the kick start her brain needed came in the form of a sweet flowery scent reaching her nose.

Gasping in surprise Bella barely registered the tongue entering her mouth as her mind raced. The only time she encountered a similar scent to this one was when she was around vampires. She felt a wave of disgust flow through her just as a shudder of pleasure danced down her spine.

Cursing both her hormones and her relaxed guard, she gathered all the control she had over her body. In one swift movement she rammed her knee up and into the groin of the vampire currently assaulting her. Feeling the vampire huff in surprise and pain, she took the opportunity to push him away from her. Running on pure instinct she braced herself against the wall behind her and lashed out with a powerful kick.

She felt a wave of satisfaction pulse through her as she heard the vampire crash into the wall across the alleyway. That didn't stop her disgust, however, as she spit on the ground and forcefully wiped her lips with the back of her hand. Panting her gold eyes looked up and took in the form slowly standing in front of her.

"Felix." Bella hissed as her eyes narrowed in anger and she felt her armor slowly incase her hands.

Despite the present danger and the grimace on his face Felix just chuckled. "Hello Bella." Surprisingly the wink he sent her only made her angrier which in turn only made him more amused.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Bella growled glaring at the vampire before her that looked a little too smug for his own good.

"Why I think that would be obvious." Felix said with a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.

"Why you bastard, I'm going to tear you apart!" Bella hissed barely restraining herself from doing just that. She knew there was a busy street within ear shot. She didn't want to gain the notice of the local authorities after all.

"Now that sounds fun, I can't wait." Bella didn't know what to really think about this vampire. Not only did he seem pleased with her death threat, he couldn't wait for her to carry it out. Filing away this disturbing observation, she allowed herself to give into her anger.

With an animalistic snarl, Bella surged forth. Her claws aimed for a killing blow. A blow that didn't land since Felix dodged out of the way. Bella did however manage to catch his arm. As Bella turned back to Felix, she noticed him inspecting the five long deep gashes she gave him. "You've gotten faster and in such a short time. I'm impressed." He said turning to the snarling mutant poised for another attack. "You truly are amazing, especially when you are so angry. The passion in your eyes really makes them glow."

"What the hell do you want with me?" Bella questioned as she calculated her next attack. Admittedly it was a little hard to do so with the red haze creeping into her vision.

"What I want is for you to be my pet." He said with a grin. "I think you'd make an absolutely breath taking one indeed. Not only are you gorgeous to look at, you're willful nature is awe inspiring on its own."

"Fuck you, I'd rather die than be your anything, pet included." Bella spat before a vicious smirk curled her lips. "Besides, it will be hard for me to be your pet when you're dead."

Once again Felix barely managed to dodge her attack. However, this time instead of stopping to observe her, he took off. Bella only paused a second to locate where he went, before she gave chase. She was going to get rid of this vampire if it was the last thing she did. Not only did he manage to overpower her once; she realized the whole reason she ended up in that vegetable truck was because he punched her through the window. She made a mental note to always remember his scent until he was a pile of ash at her feet. That way he won't be able to sneak up on her again.

As she chased him she started to reign in her anger. The red haze she was falling under lifted and she could think clearly. She knew he was leading her somewhere, but she didn't really know where. She also realized he could be leading her straight into an ambush. Preparing herself for the worse she charged on, gaining on the vampire she was after. Besides, it was obvious relying solely on her anger would not help her defeat him in a fight. He was too strong and too skilled a fighter for that to happen. So managing to get her mind mostly cleared she got ready to catch up to her quarry.

What she didn't expect was just a few minutes into the chase they ended up on a busy street. She barely had time to hide her armor covered hands in her jacket pocket as she landed on the street below. Luckily no one saw her hit the ground from a five story drop; if they did she would be in trouble.

Searching the crowds she cursed under her breath. She had lost him, it wouldn't have been a problem hadn't it been for the fact that she was surrounded by beauty salons. Retracting her armor she sneezed as she passed another store displaying free perfume samples. She may have remembered Felix's scent so she could track him but that didn't help her in this situation.

Pausing to look around once more Bella let out another curse. She actually knew where she was now. She had been to this district many times to hunt down vampires. Just knowing he knew she came here put her on edge. While it wasn't anywhere near her current safe house, it did show he had been tracking her for some time. Probably since he first saw her that day at that vampire owned museum. With one last curse, Bella turned and headed home. It was obvious she wouldn't be able to do anything about her new vampire situation at that moment. Besides, she knew her friends were worried about her, but knowing them they probably were not surprised that she got lost.

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YAY! I have got to say one good thing about that one chick who wrote Twilight, I love how she didn't put much into her supporting characters. All the info I got on Felix was he's tall, no powers, flirtatious, and likes Bella. It makes it easy to write since he's so flat. Anyway, yea, I guess this will count under character growth. Since nothing really happens aside from one or two things. Oh right, something I just remembered: **Disclaimer: I own only my characters and the plot line.** I can't believe I forgot that. Ah well, it has been said and I won't say it again. It's probably obvious by now with how many times I said it in this series I've created. Um, yea, going to go write the next chapter, later.

REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Man, my time is really off. Anyway I managed to finish this, sorry for the wait Holloween got in the way. Since I was in a bit of a rush to finish this and move on to some more action scenes, I gave a half attempt at editing so there will be some mistakes (hopefully not a lot). But yea, I don't know when the next chapter will come up but it will be soon (hopefully). I'm having trouble with the whole computer time thing since my sis needs the computer for school and for the time being my family is staying with my aunt who likes to play games on the computer. Since we only have one computer, right I'm rambling now aren't I? Anyway, Thank you to all who have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed this story. As a small note in case you are wondering, I don't plan on putting a lot of mutants in this story. The next story after this one however should satisfy all of your cravings for having mutants in them since it will be taking place well on second thought I won't tell you.

**ENJOY!**

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Surprisingly for a city, Bella could see the stars from where she lay on the roof of her current safe house. Where there was just a bit of haze, and the city lights made the horizon glow, on a cloudless night like this one she could actually see the stars rather well. She could almost pick out some of the constellations her uncle Harry had taught her on one of the camping trips she went on with her father. She couldn't believe that so long ago she had spent as much time with her dad and his friends as she did. What was only a few short months almost felt like years with how much they did. If she and her dad weren't working they were always doing something together, whether it was fixing up her first Harley or going fishing with his friends.

Pushing those memories aside, she focused on the real reason she was on the roof of her safe house staring at the stars. For the last few days nothing much had happened. They were trying to pin down more covens but so far weren't getting anywhere. The inactivity made her think back to the one problem that seemed to have surfaced since she came to Italy, Felix.

The vampire had a way of making her skin crawl, in anger and disgust. She was outraged that he thought he could keep her as his pet. She would rather die than be considered anyone's pet, especially a vampire's pet. Her pride wouldn't allow it and just the thought made her want to murder something. On the other hand, he also made her apprehensive. He knew some of her habits already and she didn't like the sinking feeling in her stomach when she thought about it. She didn't even want to know what would happen if he managed to figure out where she was staying. She also was adamantly ignoring the mere thought of him learning more than he needs to know about her friends, Grant and Chris especially. Normally she wouldn't care because she was confident her friends could defend themselves, but this vampire fought off both Madison and her. That didn't sit well at all with Bella.

The sudden sound of footsteps coming towards her made her tense. However as the breeze drifted her way she relaxed a bit. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all, what's up Richard?" Bella asked turning slightly to see her werewolf friend sitting down next to her.

"Just wondering where you disappeared to. Is everything alright?" Richard asked looking down at her with concern in his eyes. It didn't pass her notice that there was a slight shine in his eyes that wasn't normally present. Looking up at the moon she realized why, the full moon was coming so the wolf in the werewolf was closer to the surface than normal.

"Yea everything's fine. Why do you ask?" Bella responded with a frown.

"You seem preoccupied the last few days, like something is bothering you." Richard said simply. "Is it that vampire that got away, Felix?"

"I have a lot to worry about Richard; Felix is just one of them." Bella said dismissively. "What about you? The full moon is coming soon. Do you have a place to go? Some place safe so when you shift you aren't too out of control and a danger to anyone around you?"

"I'm fine and I do know about the control issues all werewolves have during the full moon thank you. So yes, Niccola has set up a place for me to go. More than likely it will be where her pack goes during the full moon." Richard responded with a slight huff.

"You're going to go hang out with Ricci huh? Think your wolf can handle her jumping you?" Bella asked with a slight smirk.

"Oh shut up, you know I can very well protect myself from a bitch." Richard said with a smirk.

"Now Richard we've gone over this, it's only a bitch if it looks, smells, and acts like one. The same applies to sluts." Bella said getting a laugh from Richard.

"At least whatever has you brooding up here like some drama queen, has not affected your playful attitude." Richard said with a roll of his eyes as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm not brooding and I'm not a drama queen. I also meant what I said; Ricci is a slut that just gets on my nerves." Bella said with a snort as she finally sat up. "So what are you really doing up here anyway?"

"I got jumped by Ray and Hiro just before I came up here to look for you. They have some information they want to share with the rest of us. They were being really secretive about the whole thing so I haven't the faintest idea what they are up to. I do know that they want us down in the living room in an hour or so." Richard said with a shrug making Bella raise an eyebrow.

"I wonder what those two are up to now." Bella said looking up at the horizon like it would give her the answer.

"So what were you brooding about?" Richard asked after a moment of silence.

"I wasn't brooding, I don't brood." Bella replied with a huff.

"You brood; you have been for the past few days. Now what's on your mind?" Richard pressed making Bella roll her eyes.

"What, I tell you what I'm thinking and you give me a penny? I have a lot on my mind, I already told you that." Bella said crossing her arms over her chest. However Richard just remained silent, watching her and waiting for an answer. After a few minutes of tense silence Bella heaved a large sigh and caved in. "It's nothing really, I've just been thinking about when all of this is over. I guess it's finally sinking in that after I finish our mission here in Italy it won't be long before I reach my goals. Those goals have been a center point in my life for so long I guess I don't know what to do afterwards."

"Well you still have Grant and your friends. Perhaps after this you will finally be able to find a place to live permanently. Grant can go to school, you can work on your books, have a simple life." Richard suggested getting a slight smile from Bella.

"Yea, I was planning on it. I just don't know where I will go or what I'll do once my days of fighting vampires are over. The tactician in me is telling me not to plan too far ahead but the normal person in me wants nothing more than to curl up in my bed and sleep. I'm just so tired of everything." Bella said putting her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well I think you should finish what you started, and then go back to some place you're comfortable with. You can go stay with your friends in Seattle if you want or come back to England with me. You're a strong smart woman; you will find something to do with your time after this. You will just need a few days or weeks to rest without worrying about vampires." Richard said giving her a comforting half-hug. "You have friends that understand you. I know all of us are more than happy to help you when you need it."

"Thanks, but I still don't know. I still have other people after me outside of vampires. HYDRA is a major enemy of mine. I would hate to put you or any of my friends at risk because of them. They are already at risk enough." Bella said with a sigh.

"That shouldn't really matter you know. I for one am quite capable of protecting myself and I know your other friends are capable of the same. You don't have to protect everyone; you can let them be strong too." Richard said making Bella sigh once more.

"That's an easy thing to say, a hard thing to do. But you're right." Bella admitted before pulling away from him. "So, how do you like Naples?"

"It's alright, a little warmer than I'm used to." Richard said falling into an easy conversation with Bella.

When the time came to see what Ray and Hiro were up to, Bella felt a lot better. She still had things she had to think over but for now she could deal with the situation at hand. Settling down on the couch she took in the scene around her. Her friends more or less were scattered around and she was pleased to see even Grant and Chris present. She however wasn't quite so pleased to see Niccola sitting off to the side but allowed it. She did have to be diplomatic if she wanted to keep her alliance to the werewolves.

"So you two, what have you come up with now?" Bella asked once everyone was settled and had their attention on the two mutants in question.

"Well several days ago Hiro and I were discussing how to figure out how many vampires there were in Italy and where they were. I managed to find a spell that will tell us how many vampires there are, it's made easier with the barrier I put up. Since it's locked on the spiritual signal vampires give off I got an exact number with the spell I used. Hiro just helped back up the finding after cross referencing all the police reports he can get his hands on." Ray said with an excited gleam in her eyes.

"Well that's good, so what type of force are we up against?" Madison asked from her spot lounging on the back of the couch.

"There are roughly five hundred vampires left." Ray said quite pleased with herself.

"In Italy?" Dante asked looking rather shocked.

"In the world." Ray corrected with a grin. "While yes they are majorly scattered around Italy, there are one or two covens still out in the world."

"Wow, so how many are we talking about in Italy and can you tell where?" Madison asked sitting up and nearly kicking Bella in the head. Madison just grinned at the glare she received from her friend.

"Like I said the majority is in Italy so we're looking at roughly four hundred and ninety. As for locating them it was rather simple. I'm surprised I didn't think of it before. By using a spell I located the areas of most concentration, they are here in Naples, Rome, and Volterra. The other cities have some vampires but not as much and there are also a few vampires not in the cities at all." Ray said glancing at a piece of paper she picked up off of the table.

"But why those places exactly? And do you think you can pinpoint where the covens are located in the cities?" Dolph asked curiously making Ray and Hiro share a look.

"I think we can come up with a way to pinpoint the covens in the city but we will need time and supplies. It's getting difficult with how much they've upped their security in the past few days we've been here. It seems as soon as they got wind of Bella being here they have become much more cautious." Ray said getting a sigh from the brunette mutant who ran a hand through her wild hair.

"Cautious? They're paranoid. I mean look at all the Volturi crests we've got. Yea sure we weren't right in the back yard before but still. We've encountered more resistance than ever now that we're here." Madison pointed out with a huff.

"Mad is right." Bella said leaning back before turning to Niccola. "What's your take on all this?"

"Well like I've said, the other packs have agreed to focus on the threats outside of the cities until you've taken out the main threat, which is the Volturi. Without them lending help the vampire's structure will collapse leaving them vulnerable. I will have to contact Giovanni though. I am sure he will want to hear about the information you've found." Niccola said getting a curious look from Bella and her group.

"Who's Giovanni?" Chris asked curiously looking up at the Italian woman.

"Giovanni Marino is the werewolf alpha of Rome." Niccola answered simply with a shrug.

"Well with how things are looking I suppose after we clean things up here we will be going to Rome for a while. It's a shame we couldn't pinpoint where the Volturi are exactly." Dolph said with a frown.

"I'll see what I can do but I think we should focus on our task at hand." Ray reassured making Bella sigh and look up at the ceiling like it would tell her all the answers she needed. After a few minutes of consideration where her friends looked at her curiously, she turned back to the group.

"Dolph, Dante, help Ray with her spells. Get any supplies you need. Mad help Hiro with anything he needs. I'll figure out what we can do at the moment, even with so little information to go on." Bella said getting nods from her friends.

An hour later found Bella sighing as she stood in the ballroom area of her home. She still didn't know what to do. She figured she could use the information Hiro had given her earlier to try to locate a few covens on foot, but she would wait until she had a good night's sleep. While she knew vampires didn't sleep she also knew they were less likely to leave their homes during the day. She often used that to her advantage.

In the meantime Bella found herself hanging out with Chris. The young girl was happily drawing some of the architecture of the house they now lived in. Bella had to admit the little blonde mutant was quite gifted when it came to art. It was in the almost calm silence that Grant came rushing in.

"Mère, why is Richard packing?" Grant asked skidding to a stop right in front of his adopted mother, slightly out of breath from his mad dash to the ballroom.

"The full moon is coming and he needs to go somewhere safe. You should know the drill by now." Bella said with a roll of her eyes.

"It's really close to the full moon? Merde, I hadn't realized. That sucks." Grant said with a pout.

"Language Grant." Bella said offhandedly with a roll of her eyes. "I knew we shouldn't have spent so long in France, you're starting to swear."

"In French! But seriously, why does the full moon have to come so soon? It's not fair! Richard promised to hang out with me later." Grant said after sticking his tongue out at Bella.

"Tough luck kiddo. You can't change the orbit of the moon or the fact that Richard happens to be a werewolf. So you'll just have to live with it." Bella said turning to lean over Chris' shoulder to get a better look at the drawing the twelve year old was working on.

"I know but it still sucks." Grant said with a roll of his eyes. "So where is he going? It's not like we're in England anymore."

"Ricci has a place for him to go." Bella said with a smirk.

"Ricci? You mean the ubber skank Niccola? And you're okay with that? What if she molests him in his sleep or something?" Grant asked with a slightly snide tone to his voice.

"He's a big boy honey; he doesn't need me to hold his hand everywhere he goes. Besides, why on earth would I need to protect him when he's at his strongest?" Bella asked with a frown.

"He needs protection from Niccola, that's why." Chris responded looking up from her sketch pad.

"What makes you say that? Despite how she acts Ricci has been civil since we got here." Bella said with a frown.

"She makes Richard uncomfortable when she's around. He's not himself." Chris said making Bella raise an eyebrow at the girl.

"You're sure about that? Okay so he's a bit tense but he seems fine to me." Bella said curious as to what the little girl was getting at.

"No, I agree with Eyes on this one. He's more than a bit tense, mère. He's down right snappy." Grant said backing his partner in crime.

"Right? Whatever you say." Bella said disbelievingly. Her response was both young mutants giving her a slightly accusing but exasperated look. "Don't look at me like that you two, it's creepy."

The door swinging open was a welcome relief to the slightly awkward silence that ensued after her last comment. However, the very person they had been discussing was the one to enter the room. He was running a hand through his shaggy honey brown hair and sighing all the way. Seeing the three sets of eyes upon him he paused for a second before blinking. "Sorry if I'm interrupting something. I just came to tell you that I'm leaving now." Richard said getting a nod from Bella.

"Alright, have fun and don't bite anyone." Bella said with a wry grin getting a snort from her friend.

"And don't go sniffing where you shouldn't be." Grant added with a mischievous grin.

"Or get into any unnecessary fights you can't finish." Chris put in with a small smirk.

"Or marking territory that doesn't belong to you." Grant continued.

"Or playing with silver traps." Chris added happily.

"Okay, okay I get it. I'll be on my utmost best behavior." Richard said with his hands raised and a roll of his eyes. "Don't worry; I'll be back in a few days. You two can pester me then."

"Yea right, like you'll tell us what you did while you're away." Grant said with a huff before a smirk appeared on his lips. "Or who you did."

"Grant!" Bella snapped whacking the boy upside the head. "I swear you've spent way too much time around Mad."

"But mère, tante Mad is the coolest." Grant said in his defense making Bella look at him with both her eyebrows raised. "Okay, I'm a growing boy who's on the cusp of puberty?" He tried making Bella sigh.

"More like a child who has spent one too many nights watching porn with my adopted sister." Bella said rolling her eyes, slightly smug that her adopted son looked disgusted at the suggestion. It was nice to know Madison hadn't completely corrupted her son yet.

"I'll see all of you in a few days." Richard said with a chuckle.

"Yea, yea, we aren't going anywhere so we'll be here when you get back." Bella said with a dismissive wave. She watched as Richard gave one last chuckle before turning around and heading out. Once she was sure he was out of earshot she turned back to the two young mutants she was with. "He didn't seem uncomfortable."

"Of course not mère, Niccola isn't here." Grant said rolling his eyes.

"Watch the tone kiddo; I'm still your mother." Bella warned calmly.

"I agree with Grant, he's relaxed when around you and us." Chris said choosing to ignore Bella's warning for now.

"Alright, since you're so adamant that something is up with him, you two take care of it. I have enough to worry about without dealing with a sensitive fuzz ball. I'm sure you both are more than capable of looking out for him while his back is turned, especially around Ricci." Bella said with a heavy sigh.

"That sounds perfect." Chris said clasping her hands happily.

"You can count on us." Grant said with a salute and grin.

For her part, Bella wondered if that was a good idea or not. In the end she decided not to care too much. She still had things she had to do concerning her group. Not to mention she was in the middle of an underground war with vampires. As much as she would love to set that aside to help her friend with whatever problems he might have, she just had too much on her plate to do so. She did feel a little guilty though since she had to set aside her friend's feelings to achieve her goals. Then and there she vowed to make it up to all of her friends once they finally had time for a little R and R. But in the meantime she had some vampires to hunt down and kill.

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YAY! *Yawn* Man I'm tired. Anyway, yea things are moving slowly but still moving thankfully. The next chapter should have some more action in it. In the mean time:

REVIEW! please?


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: YAY! I finished this. I know there will be some mistakes since I was pretty tired when I was editing, but from the quick run through I did everything is flowing consistantly so the mistakes will most likely be gramar or spelling related. Uh yea, anyway I would like to thank **obsession-iz-a-good-thing** for the wonderful review, and all the rest of you who have alerted and/or favorited this story. It really helps remind me to work on the story with reminders of people actually reading it. Especially since I'm kinda restricted on computer time these days. Anyway I hope you like it.

**ENJOY!**

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Looking at herself in the mirror Bella sighed and fixed the strap of her black halter top. She looked rather fashionable with a nice silk halter top, black wide-leg slacks, gold high heels, and some gold bracelets. She even was wearing makeup, even if it was a light dusting of green eye shadow and some lip gloss. Her hair was tossed up in a messy bun and for all pretenses she looked stunning and ready for a night at some of the local clubs. She really didn't want to go out. She couldn't believe her friends actually talked her into this, especially since Niccola was the one who first mentioned it.

Her eyes left the mirror and coasted over to the top of her dresser. Sitting there was a pair of beautiful gold and green earrings Madison insisted she wear. She just didn't feel like donning the dangling jewels really. She didn't feel like going out partying either. Next to the earrings was the reminder of the fact. Lying out on top of her dresser six gleaming Volturi crests glittered up at her. Walking over to the dresser she gently let her fingers ghost over one of the crests. She normally didn't display the crests her group had collected, but these six were special. They showed just how far they had come in the past three weeks with so little information to go on.

"Still moping I see." An exasperated voice behind her breathed, making her stiffen slightly. She wondered just how zoned out she was that Madison could sneak up on her like that. "Come on Bells, we're going to go clubbing. You know music, alcohol, dancing, forgetting about our troubles for a night?"

"Do we have to?" Bella asked turning to her friend. She wasn't surprised to see Madison decked out in a sexy light blue shirt and short white skirt. The silver stilettos, and slightly toned down silver jewelry weren't all that surprising either. The fact that Madison's long braid was out and in a high ponytail however was. That and the fact that Madison was actually wearing some make up as well, gray smoky eyes and nice pink lipstick.

"Yes we do. While we've done some good tracking down vampires in the area and we did manage to double the amount of Volturi crests we have, you are still moping. I know the last time we fought a coven your ego took a hit with that vampire Felix escaping you again, but come on. You need to stop obsessing over this, at least for a night. It's not healthy. Just this once, promise me that you will to sit back, have a good time, and forget about vampires for a while." Madison said picking up the earrings and holding them out for Bella.

Bella looked at the earrings with a calculating look in her eyes as she weighed her options. Finally heaving a heavy sigh she reached out and grabbed the pieces of jewelry. "I suppose a night of relaxation won't hurt. We are all stressed over this anyway."

"That's what I like to hear." Madison cheered happily as Bella put the earrings in. "By the way do you know who's going to watch Grant and Chris? We're going to be out all night and if we left them to themselves they would stay up until we came home."

"Ray and Dolph are going to stay here to watch them. Our little miscreants don't like it at all but they will have to just deal with it." Bella said with a smile as she picked up the fashionable brown leather jacket resting on the back of her desk chair. It wasn't her signature Coyote coat but it was still nice.

"Why? Are they disappointed they can't come?" Madison asked with a frown.

"It's nothing like that. Just before the last full moon those two got it into their heads to protect Richard from Ricci. With both Richard and Ricci coming out with us they're plans have been thwarted, at least for now." Bella said with a laugh making Madison smile.

"So that's what those two are up to. I was wondering what was up with them. Does Richard know?" Madison asked with a sly grin.

"He does if the amusement rolling off of him in waves is any indication. Dolph managed to get them to agree to stay here though. If my ears didn't deceive me, I think he is going to help them refine their plans of action." Bella said making Madison giggle.

"Well it's nice to know our neighborhood puppy has someone looking out for his virtue." Madison said bemused by the whole idea. "But speaking of our pets, what's up with Dolph?"

"What do you mean?" Bella asked with a frown.

"Well something is up with our kitten. Recently I've seen him a little more self conscious the normal and he's taken to baking. I don't mean recreational baking either; I had to help him deliver twelve freaking batches of muffins to our Italian werewolf friends yesterday. So something has to be bothering him. We both know he only bakes excessively when that's the case." Madison said a thoughtful but worried look painted on her features.

"That is bad. Well when we get back I'll talk to him about it. It could be he's just more self aware with all the werewolves now haunting our abode. You know even if he doesn't want to act like it, he's just a socially awkward neglected yet loving kitten deep down." Bella said a determined light suddenly glinting in her eyes.

"Yea, I think you should Bells. I was going to talk to him about it but I don't think it would help. We both know I'm not the most empathic of the group. Hell my mouth has gotten me in more trouble than my stupidity has and that's saying something." Madison said with a shrug.

"You can say that again." Bella muttered smirking at the glare she received from her friend as they made their way towards the front door where their other friends were waiting. After a few goodbyes and whispering to Dolph to kick all the werewolves out when they leave, the group set off into the night ready to have some fun that didn't include violence.

Halfway through the night Bella found herself smiling as she relaxed back in a nice plush chair with a strong drink in her hand. The night club they ended up at was rather nice and high end. It was a welcome change to the dive bars and taverns Bella was used to. Not that she wasn't above, kicking back with a case of beer or a bottle of Jack Daniels and partying off the back of a truck. She was after all still a small town American girl at heart. However, taking in her posh surroundings and listening to the amazing live band, she could admit if only to herself that this place wasn't one to sneeze at.

The thick heady scent of perfume, sweat, alcohol, and pheromones was a thick fog in the air. Added to that was the thumping up beat rhythm of a well practiced up and coming band. The lead singer's husky deep voice was enough to send a shudder down her spine. Helping the almost intimate illusion of the night club was the fact that the lights were turned down low with a few strobes here and there. All in all as she took another sip of her drink she found herself enjoying the atmosphere of the place.

Her sharp eyes scanned the dancing crowd before her on the dance floor. It didn't take her long to spot her friends. Hiro was off to the side slightly with almost ten girls surrounding him. Bella figured they were attracted the unconscious charge her friend was putting into the air around him. Madison was near the middle dancing with a couple Bella spotted coming in about an hour ago. Somehow the blonde ended up in between the man and woman. Dante was nearer to the stage with his own group of girls around him. But Bella could see he was speaking quietly into a blonde's ear as he danced with her. Niccola was nearer to the edge of the crowd. She was dancing with anyone willing enough to step up. Finally Richard was on the other side of the crowd. Bella raised an eyebrow to herself as her werewolf friend seemed to be making his way towards her.

It didn't take him long to sit down next to her with his own drink. "What are you doing here? Don't you want to go dance?" He asked after a minute of catching his breath.

"I will in a bit. I'm just enjoying the band." Bella said with a smile.

"So how's the night out going?" He hedged after the current song finished.

"It's going good. It's nice to kick back once in a while. I had almost forgotten how rejuvenating a night of fun can be." Bella said truthfully.

"That's a shame. You should really go dance for a bit though. You're brooding again." Richard said with a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

"Oh hush, I am not brooding. Besides I'll be on the dance floor in a bit. The night isn't finished yet and I need a few drinks in me to forget about all the people on the dance floor." Bella said before taking another swig of her current drink.

"Trust me Bella; I've seen how you drink when you brood. You're well into your fifth Black Forest of the night. Not including the four beers, six cocktails, two Margaritas, and seven shots that you had when we first came in. If it wasn't for your mutation I can guaranty that you'd be well on your way to alcohol poisoning." Richard pointed out before taking another sip of the beer he had in his hand.

"Says the bartender." Bella said rolling her eyes. "I really need to remember to go elsewhere to drink when I'm in London. I still can't believe you cut me off that one time after my twelfth beer."

"If I didn't know you so well I would accuse you of being an alcoholic." Richard shot back dryly.

"Now what kind of mother would I be if that were true?" Bella asked sarcastically with a snort. "Besides, you know you love me."

"And I ask myself why I do every day." Richard countered smirking when Bella stuck her tongue out at him. Though Bella swore she saw something flash through his eyes when he said that, but figured it was just the lighting of the club they were in.

Just as Bella opened her mouth to respond to his last comment, Niccola practically fell on top of the table the two were seated at. "Bella, Richard, there you are. What are you two doing over here? The music is wonderful, come, dance!" She said her words slurring slightly.

"I was just trying to get Bella on the dance floor." Richard said giving Niccola a smile but glancing a few times at a smirking Bella.

"Well what are you two waiting for? Come, come." Niccola encouraged standing up but swaying slightly. "Let us dance!"

"Go ahead you two; I'm just going to duck into the bathroom real quick. I'll be there before you know it." Bella said suppressing her laughter as Niccola squealed and threw herself onto Richard.

"See, she shall come as soon as she goes to the powder room. Now let us go dance." Niccola said pulling a stunned and slightly freaked out Richard towards the dance floor.

Bella couldn't contain her laughter as she stood up and headed for the bathroom. She was still giggling as she made her way into a stall. She couldn't believe how entertaining a slightly inebriated Niccola could be. As she made her way out of the stall she nearly raised her arm to guard her eyes from the glare of the lights above the sinks.

The whole bathroom was rather modern in design. Steel sinks, stalls, and even stylish toilets. Bella also noted the walls were halfway covered in glass tiles while the rest of the walls were painted a pale blue. The large mirror over the sinks was perfectly placed and there was enough counter space in between the sinks to put some make up supplies. She was also amused to note that the floor was nice large gray granite tiles.

As she washed her hands and let her eyes sweep over a few pictures on the walls she noted something she missed. She couldn't believe she had missed the two people in the corner when she entered. She rolled her eyes when she realized why she might have over looked the pair. She wondered slightly when she got used to seeing people making out in public places. She figured it was from all the bars she had been going to since she could legally drink. Refocusing on washing her hands, she decided to get out of there to give the couple some privacy.

Suddenly her eyes snapped up and she found herself looking at her reflection in the eye. A sharp coppery scent filled the air.

Her eyes searched the mirror for the source of the scent. She knew no one entered the room and she didn't hear anyone in the stalls. That's when she realized the second reason she hadn't noticed the pair, one of the women in the corner didn't have a reflection.

Mentally cursing her relaxed guard she flicked the water off her hands. Not bothering to turn off the faucet she turned, feeling her armor incase her hands. She was across the room in less than a second with one of her claws rammed straight into the wall behind the two women.

"Now what do you think you're doing?" Bella purred into the ear of the vampire. She didn't have to even glance at the vampire's victim to know she was dead. Bella had aimed straight for the human woman's heart. As much as Bella hated it, she knew she couldn't save someone once they were bitten. She had tried several times before but in the end it just meant killing another vampire. The best she could do was put the victims out of their misery as quickly as possible.

"You bitch." The vampire hissed in broken English making Bella snort.

"I'm not a dog, I'm a Coyote." Bella responded with a smirk hearing and feeling the vampire gasp. Bella wasted no time grabbing the vampire's jaw with her free hand. One quick move, she was satisfied to hear the vampire's neck snap.

As the vampire's head fell limp, Bella put her hand on the vampire's shoulder and pulled her arm out of the two females. Once her arm was out she took all of a second to mutter a small spell Ray taught her. She was satisfied to see she was soon standing over a pile of ash, the spell flash frying both the vampire and its victim.

Careful of the single camera in the room, she walked over to the sink and washed the blood off of her arm. She was slightly amused to note that the vampire had thought of the same camera, taking her victim to one of the only blind spots in the room. Once she was sure she got the blood off of her armor and arm, she shut off the faucet.

Now completely sober she was intent on finding out if there were any more vampires in the night club. As she left she smiled and gave a polite nod to a woman entering the bathroom as she left. She noted that the woman had natural green eyes and left it at that. She was even more amused when the woman that just entered the bathroom didn't even notice anything wrong with the room. Albeit there wouldn't be much wrong, just a few broken tiles on a wall and a pile of what to appear dirt on the ground. It could be easily explained by some drunken woman throwing one of the few plotted plants in the room at the wall.

It took her all of five minutes to round up her gang. Though a few of them were still a bit tipsy they all knew what was going on. It also didn't take long for them to flush out the remaining vampires in the club. The group managed to destroy the vampires in the alleyway next to the night club without anyone noticing. Once they were sure all the vampires were dead in the vicinity they cut their night short and headed home.

"What's wrong?" Ray instantly asked when the group returned looking just a slightly bit haggard.

"We ran into some party crashers." Madison said with an annoyed pout. Bella knew how much fun her friend had been having. "Bells, why can't we go a night without dealing with vampires?"

"Vampires? You ran into vampires?" Dolph asked coming out of the kitchen holding a mixing bowl and wearing his customary apron.

"Not just vampires, mi amigo, but newborns." Dante said with a sigh.

"Oh dear, now that is a problem." Dolph said stirring whatever was in the mixing bowl just a bit faster.

"Yes it is, what I want to know is how we missed it? Hell how did the vampires miss it? They are very strict about their laws." Bella growled glaring at anything that really moved.

"Calm down Bells, no need to snap at our kitten." Madison said absently ignoring the initial snarl she received before Bella took a deep breath and sighed. "Good now since no one is asking I will. What are we going to do now?"

"I'm going to go hack the video footage. I got the tapes from the club but I want to make sure we weren't caught on tape." Hiro said bowing out of the conversation for his lap top in the living room.

"It's a shame we didn't have a way to control the vampires, at least in the city." Richard said with a frustrated sigh.

"Maybe there is." Ray said happily. "If I modify the spell I used to keep the vampires in country I think I can stop them from producing other vampires. It might affect werewolves though."

"How would they be affected?" Niccola asked with a frown.

"You will be losing some of your control during the full moon, but not a lot." Ray said with a thoughtful look. "It may be difficult for you to shift on command as well."

"That is fine, just so long as it's restricted to the city." Niccola said getting a nod from Ray.

"But how are you going to modify the spell? Does this mean we have to capture another vampire?" Madison asked with a frown.

"Well no actually. When I cast the other spell the vampire I used actually turned to stone. He's still alive but he is a statue and his existence relies solely on the spell's power. Once we've finished off the vampires in Italy I was planning on destroying him to put him out of his misery. Though, I suppose we could keep him until we've eliminated his race." Ray said making the group share a look before simply shook their heads. While they all could perform a simple spell or two, most if not all of them knew very little about how magic worked.

"So will the vampires be contained to the city only, even the ones that enter after the spell?" Dante asked curiously making Ray smile sheepishly.

"Honestly I don't think so. I can't modify it too much or else it will collapse even the barrier I have up now. So as long as they were outside of the barrier when it is cast they can leave just as easily." Ray explained making a few sigh.

"But if this does work can you put it up on all the major cities? That way it will keep them from moving before we get to them." Madison asked getting a surprised but pleased look from Ray.

"I believe I can do that. But, I will need Chris' help, and she probably won't be able to go to school for a day or two." Ray said with a sigh.

"I'll get her a sick note." Bella said simply. "Speaking of the kids, where are they?"

"Oh, Chris went to bed and Grant was in his room finishing up a project he has due in two weeks." Dolph said still mixing whatever was in his mixing bowl.

"Um Dolph no offence but I think it's well stirred now." Madison said trying to see what her friend was making.

"Actually I'm making fudge and it still needs to be stirred a bit more." Dolph said looking down into his bowl.

"Fudge? I didn't know you knew how to make fudge." Madison said now trying to climb into the bowl to get to one of her favorite candies.

"Not now Ms. Mad." Dolph said simply pushing Madison away from his mixing bowl.

"Well since it's obvious we won't be doing anything tonight I'm heading to bed. Ray, give Dolph a shopping list of anything you need for him to pick up. Luckily for you tomorrow is market day anyway." Bella said getting nods from her friends. With that Bella turned and headed to her room.

Not long before Bella managed to get ready for bed her door opened and shut. She looked up to find Madison in the air and heading for her bed. She only narrowed her eyes slightly at the blonde who landed happily on top of her bed. Sometimes Bella wondered if her friend really was as old as she said she is.

"Hello Bells." Madison greeted happily.

"What are you up to now?" Bella asked rolling her eyes and sitting down on her bed.

"We haven't had time to sit down and have girl talk in a while. So that's what we are going to do." Madison said making Bella sigh.

"I'm going to bed Mad." Bella halfheartedly pointed out.

"Yea right, like you can sleep just yet. I haven't known you for over a half a decade without figuring out some of your habits. You're too wound up to go to bed. So we're going to talk." Madison said making Bella raise an eyebrow.

"About what exactly?" The brunette asked curiously.

"Well we can start with your vampire stalker Felix if you want." Madison offered making Bella sigh in frustration.

"What do you want to know?" Bella asked lying down on her back but still able to see her friend seated on her bed.

"How about what you're not telling us? I know something happened between you two and since it wasn't during any of our fights with him, it happened at another time. So when did you see him and what happened between you two?" Madison asked getting a glare from Bella.

"I hate how well you know me sometimes." Bella said getting a snicker from her friend. "Alright, remember that time I got lost after ending up in that vegetable truck."

"Yea, you had Richard quite worried." Madison said with a snicker.

"Well he ended up finding me in an alleyway. He pushed me up against a wall, kissed me, declared that he wants me as a pet, and took off. I followed and ended up on a familiar street when I lost him." Bella said getting a frown from Madison.

"That's bad Bells, no matter which way you slice it." Madison said with a sigh. "I don't like it. Especially, whatever he means by keeping you as a pet. But, I know what you're capable of. These past few times you seem to be doing better at fighting him."

"Exactly so you don't have to worry about it." Bella said instantly getting a dry look from her friend.

"Oh I'll worry about it, but that doesn't mean I won't give you amble opportunity to take care of it yourself." Madison said eyeing Bella. "You can take care of yourself but if you need any help just ask me. I'll help you out."

"Alright, and thanks Mad." Bella said slightly relieved at least one of her friends knew she could take care of her problems herself.

"Don't mention it. Now let's move on to another topic." Madison said with a thoughtful look that made Bella slightly leery.

"What exactly to you want to talk about?" Bella asked even though something in her gut told her to run. She knew that look on Madison's face, she had seen in several times before. Somehow she had to get out of this conversation with as little embarrassment on her part as possible.

"Richard." Madison declared triumphantly with a large grin.

"What about him?" Bella asked suddenly very confused as to how this conversation took such a turn.

"What exactly is up between you two? I don't know if you haven't noticed but he really is concerned about you." Madison said still grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Bella just looked at her very confused making the blonde roll her ice blue eyes. "Oh come on, you can't tell me that you're that oblivious. He has been very protective of you for a while now. You know always watching out for you, always making sure that you're doing fine. Hell he even goes out of his way to make sure everything that you want done get's done. I can't tell you how many times he's bugged me to get your orders done. Sometimes I just want to whack him over the head and tell him to take a walk."

"There's nothing going on Mad. Don't read too far into it. He's just a good friend." Bella said rolling her eyes.

Madison snorted. "Oh come on, I'm a good friend. I don't go out at midnight to buy you a carton of smokes when you run out and bitch about it."

"Say just what you want to say already." Bella said getting slightly agitated by the conversation.

"I think he likes you. Like really likes you, and not in the friendly way; well he likes you in a more friendly way than normal friends. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Madison asked smirking at Bella's glare. "Richard has a crush on you."

Bella didn't think, she just picked up the pillow on her bed and whacked Madison in the face. "Shut up, how in the hell did you get that conclusion out of his behavior?"

"I thought you told me to shut up?" Madison asked with a smirk as she lowered the pillow from her face only to see her friend's glare. "Fine I'll lay it out for you. Let's see, not only will he practically bend over backwards for you, he is also much happier when you're around. I mean if Niccola irritates him beyond belief, you make him absolutely giddy. He practically floats around like a love sick puppy that follows you around when he can."

"Alright, alright, so what if he did have a crush on me what do you want me to do about it?" Bella said seeing just the beginning of a sappy lecture on how much her friend thought the werewolf liked the brunette.

"Well admittedly he is a good friend and all. But you should really ask yourself if what you want. Do you want to keep him simply as a friend or if you are willing to try a deeper relationship with him. He obviously cares deeply for you, so don't lead him on. If you don't want him as anything other than a friend, then let him know. It's not right to keep him pining over you like he is now." Madison said seriously with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

"You mean it?" Bella asked with a frown of her own.

"Of course, Richard is my friend too you know." Madison pointed out before smirking. "Besides, I think you two would make a cute couple."

"Shut up." Bella said making a lazy swipe at her friend. Madison just laughed and bounced out of the room happily. Bella sighed taking her pillow and putting it over her head to growl angrily into it. "Of course, it's not bad enough I have to deal with a group of powerful vampires. I have to deal with a love struck werewolf now." Bella muttered into the fabric. "Why does that sound so familiar?" She asked sarcastically before huffing. After a few seconds of just lying there, she got up and turned off the lights. Slipping under her covers she almost forcefully slammed her head on her pillow and closed her eyes.

Suddenly she was aware of the smell of autumn leaves. Scrunching up her nose she tried to ignore the smell and go back to bed. She didn't want to wake up since she would rather not face the real world for a while; it was getting too complicated for her. It didn't help that she could practically see the soft golden light just past her eyelids. Rolling over to avoid the light she heard the crunching of leaves underneath her. It was that sound that finally made her eyes snap open and take in her surroundings.

She sat up quickly and looked around at the golden autumn woods she knew was not part of reality. It looked the same as it did when she last was there with Rosalie. Only the clearing she was in lacked the benches she and Rosalie occupied the last time she dreamt this. She sighed, breathing in the wonderful scent of the forest. She took a minute to enjoy the calming atmosphere before she stood up from her seated position on the ground.

As she started walking, searching for whatever was different in this dream from her last one, she made a mental note to really look into books about dreams. She'd even go so far as to ask Ray if she knew anything just so she could better understand what was going on. She hated not knowing how to control these dreams when they came about. It was like she was suddenly in a different reality where she had just as much control over the environment as the real world. At the very least she wanted an emergency exit from these dreams if she needed it. She doubted she would but it would give her some peace of mind.

Stopping to view her surroundings she unconsciously smiled at the golden woods around her. It put her at ease, even though she suddenly noticed she was seeing a lot more white granite and crystal quartz in the area. Going up to a slight cliff she gently ran her fingers over a rather large prism of clear quartz. She had heard from Ray that quartz had special magical abilities, especially in storing energy. Idly she wondered if this was how her dreams were powered, but pushed away the silly thought. She knew it was her own subconscious fueling the dreams, no matter how real or strange they seemed to be.

As she pulled away from the new rock formations, she heard it. She almost slapped herself for not realizing the change in atmosphere, but perhaps that wasn't entirely her fault. It seemed so sudden to have the cool fresh scent and soft splashing sound on the air. Deciding that it was her best bet she started in the direction of the new sound. Though she could swear just underneath the sound of splashing water were the beat of drums and the chanting of Native Americans.

When she finally got to the source of the scent and sound she found her breath taken away. There, coming from a large cliff was a large clear waterfall. The stones around the waterfall were a crystalline white that sparkled under the sun from the clear sky above. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall was crystal clear and surrounded with the same beautiful stones. It was as if the golden leaves under her feet were a carpet that tapered away onto the stones and was cut through by a babbling stream. Also in the air just in front of the waterfall a rainbow danced happily.

After a few minutes of admiring the scenery she snorted to herself. "All that's missing is a unicorn and I would know this place was a complete fantasy."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you then." A voice said behind her, making her jump slightly and spin around quickly.

The young man standing before her was someone she recognized instantly. Though she had to admit he was slightly different from the last time she saw him in real life. For one his eyes were now just a warm chestnut brown rather than amber. His skin was tan obviously from being out in the sun for extended periods of time. Finally his clothes were simple white robes similar to the ones Rosalie wore the last time Bella saw her, though admittedly they looked a bit ridiculous on him.

"Emmett." Bella said softly with a slight smile.

"Hello Bella!" Emmett greeted in his usual fashion, going so far as to walk up to her and enveloping her in a large bear hug. Bella was only slightly surprised to smell the scent of the forest and human on him rather than the sweet flowery scent she was so sure still clung to his being.

"What are you wearing? You look ridiculous, or ready for bed I'm still debating which." Bella said with a laugh getting a loud laugh from him.

"I know but I didn't get to decide my wardrobe. Apparently this is standard uniform for the dearly departed." Emmett said fingering some of the material of his flowing sleeves.

"Rosalie said you wanted to speak with me." Bella said after a few moments of silence between them.

"Huh? Oh yea, I did, I mean I do." Emmett said with a smile running a hand through his hair. Bella raised an eyebrow at his slight uncertainty but waited patiently. "I just wanted to tell you that I don't blame you, or your blonde friend."

"That's it? You don't blame me? For what? Killing you?" Bella asked skeptically getting a firm nod from Emmett who motioned over to some of the larger stones so they could sit down. Bella eyed the stones for a few minutes before going over and sitting down with him.

"Yea, I don't blame you for what you did. Things just didn't turn out right. This probably wouldn't have happened, if things hadn't gone so terrible on your birthday." Emmett said with a chuckle as he looked down. "I guess in a way we were all scared. You were becoming so close to us and well Jasper was never known for his control around blood. He was getting better but I think that night really drove everything home. I will apologies for Edward tearing out the stereo in your truck though. He had no right revoking my gift like that."

Bella was hard pressed to control a giggle at his last sincere exclamation. "Don't worry; I forgive you perfectly for the stereo. It was a good gift. So now that you've said your piece are you going to cross over?"

"In a little while, there are still some things I want to talk to you about." Emmett said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Damn, you're starting to sound like Mad. Next you will want to know about my love life." Bella said with a roll of her eyes.

"Actually yea I do, let's talk about Richard first." Emmett said making Bella gape at him.

"How in the fucking hell do you know about that?" Bella asked in shock.

"Tsk, tsk, you really shouldn't swear. What happen to the good little Bella I knew and loved?" Emmett teased making her glare at him. "As for how I know, I've been watching you."

Bella raised an eyebrow at that confession. "What are you? My guardian angel?"

"Of course what else would I be?" Emmett asked playfully with a large smile. "Although I think I'm only second in line to Charlie."

"Yea, yea, whatever you say, now what do you want to bug me about Richard for?" Bella asked rolling her eyes. She couldn't believe she was going to have this conversation. She could see herself having this conversation with Alice or Esme or even Rosalie wasn't a farfetched option.

"I have to agree with Mad on the subject actually." Emmett said getting a dry look from Bella. "Seriously, you should at least consider the option. Possible immortality aside, you are becoming emotionally stunted even with your adopted son around. You need someone to lean on and I'm not talking about your adopted family. You're close to them but you still keep them at a distance. Edward screwed you over big time and it's time to move on from that. I know you haven't had a serious relationship with anyone since Edward. Perhaps it's time to let Edward go and consider your possibilities. The added bonus of Richard is that he already accepts you for whom and what you are. You don't have to impress him or sooth over any fears he has."

"Why are you so adamant on this?" Bella asked quietly when Emmett paused to take a breath.

"Because I think you need it." Emmett said seriously. "Tell me, why do you want to destroy the Volturi? Is there any real reason aside from the fact that they were vampires? What is driving you to continue this war?"

Bella was surprised to find she was drawing a blank. She hadn't really thought much on why she was even fighting the Volturi in the first place, just that she was. It felt right to eliminate the group of vampires but she couldn't figure out why. She knew part of it was her instincts driving her to finish what she started; another part was the fact that in a roundabout way they scorned her. But aside from that, she could walk away from all of this and not even care. There was the fact that vampires came from the woodworks to try and eliminate her. But even then she could just contend with the groups of vampires until she scared them off. She was shocked to realize she would have to sit down and really truly think about why she was even fighting vampires in the first place. She had seemed to have lost her way a bit. That was a disconcerting thought, one that Bella was hesitant to admit even to herself.

"Maybe you need a new reason to fight? Sure you can consider the fact that if the Volturi ever find out about werewolves your friend would be in grave danger but it won't be your fight anymore. It would be his war and you could help but you wouldn't be obligated to. Right now both of you are obligated to fight since this is your war and his race stands to gain a lot from it. But more than that, if you go into a fight with the Volturi without a strong resolve to fight than you're as good as dead." Emmett said seriously making Bella look up at him in slight shock. "I mean it Bella. They aren't your run of the mill vampires. I know for a fact that the Volturi only keep the strongest at their side. Hell they even asked Edward to join them once because he's such a powerful telepath. Carlisle may know more about them than I do, but from what I've seen and heard they're real bad news."

"And how do you know I won't be able to defeat them without some goal in mind?" Bella challenged with a frown.

"You can't beat down Felix and he doesn't even have any special abilities outside of his physical ones. So far you and your group have been doing well. But don't forget the vampires you're now going up against aren't stupid. They learn and no doubt they are simply watching and waiting to uncover all of your weaknesses. They have a lot at stake if they lose since you pose a threat to their entire existence. So far all you have to lose is your friends' lives and your freedom if Felix's uh desire is anything to go by." Emmett lectured seriously making Bella sigh and run a hand through her hair. "I'm not pressuring you to go into a relationship that you may or may not want. What I am telling you to do is to sit down and think about your priorities. If this whole thing is something you can't handle or are unable to accomplish without dying then cut your losses and split. You're pride shouldn't get in the way of your safety no matter what the task is."

"Alright, you've driven home your point. I promise to sit down and think everything through. I'm not promising anything with Richard but I will sort out my motives. Don't worry I'll figure things out and get through this in one piece." Bella reassured getting a relieved sigh from Emmett. "Just one question."

"What's that?" Emmett asked curious now.

Bella looked at him in the eyes seriously. "Why do you care so much?"

"I consider you to be my sister despite everything that has happened. I can't tell you how much it pisses me off that I couldn't be down there pounding Felix into the ground for what he did to you in that alleyway. If I was still alive vampire or not I'd happily fight along your side." Emmett said just as seriously making Bella smile.

"Well since that's not going to happen I suppose you can just root for me from the afterlife." Bella said with a smile making him smile as well.

"Now that's something I can do. I'll keep watching over you as well." Emmett said with a grin.

"Yea, yea, so big brother, wish me luck?" Bella asked getting an ecstatic look from Emmett when she referred to him as her big brother.

"Of course, you're going to need it." Emmett said giving Bella a hug. "I have to go now. When you're ready Alice and Jasper want to talk to you as well, but only when you're ready. I don't know when that will be or if you will know but expect a visit from them."

"Okay, thanks for all the advice and for not holding my actions against me." Bella said still in his arms.

"How could I not forgive you for how much of a bastard Edward turned out to be?" Emmett said with a chuckle making Bella smile.

Suddenly a bright light came from nowhere making Bella close her eyes. As she was engulfed in darkness she was surprised to note she still felt the warmth from Emmett's brotherly hug. She just hoped she could get her priorities sorted out quickly. She knew she couldn't fool herself into thinking that she was close to passing the point of no return. She just hoped in the end the ultimate outcome was her makeshift family as well as herself made it out of all this in one piece. She still had to pay them back for all the help they had been in the last few years after all.

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YAY! Sheesh I think this is the most dialouge I crammed into a chapter at once. At least the story is moving along and Emmett has made an appearance. Oh and also since it was put in a review I figure I'll tell you which characters are mine. Thus far Mad, Dolph, Dante, Hiro, Grant, Ray, Chris, Richard, Niccola, Giovanni, Felix (mutant in Seattle), Conrad, Andy and i think that's it are all mine. Yea a lot of OCs but I think there will only be two more major OCs and the rest will all be from either Twilight or a Marvel character I pull from somewhere. Personally I like working with lesser known secondary characters since it gives me a little more room to improvise without making them too OOC so expect some lesser known faces popping up. Although I did loosely base Mad on an actual Xmen character called Mercury but that is slightly besides the point. Right now I'm rambling so I'll stop and go work on the next chapter.

REVIEW!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary:** In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt:** Man, the Holidays sure can throw you off. Yea I know I'm not posting as quickly as I usually do, but life is life and I can't do much about it. I haven't forgotten about this story though, I will get it and the last story of the series up eventually. Also I had some trouble starting this chapter, it took me a few tries to get it somewhat close to what I wanted. I wouldn't call it writer's block, just some trouble wording it right. Um yea, thanks to all those that have reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this story. I'm going to stop rambling now.

**ENJOY!**

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Squinting her burning watery eyes she huffed, and covered her mouth and nose with her hand. The scent of ash, smoke, and burning wood scorched her throat as she coughed and blindly wandered through the thick smoke. Using an outstretched arm to help guide her through the blinding haze of smoke, ash, and fire she quickly found a wall. Despite having her armor fully unsheathed the blistering heat of the raging fire around her licked its wicked tongue against her nerves. It didn't harm her physically as it seductively caressed her skin, but that didn't make her any less aware of its presence. Over the loud blaring warnings of her instincts telling her to escape, she could almost swear the very air around her was cackling cruelly at her predicament.

Sliding to one knee she desperately gasped for some much needed oxygen misting the floor at her feet. Closing her eyes she forced herself to take deep breaths of surprisingly cool air. She could feel panic and adrenaline dancing dangerously through her veins like liquid electricity. Knowing she had to focus that energy into the single goal of escaping her fiery tomb rather than blindly letting it dance through her, she slowly pulled herself together.

Once she had more control over herself than she had a few moments ago, she opened her eyes. Previously forgotten memories of how to react during a fire came rushing back towards her, and she nearly slapped herself for forgetting them in the first place. While the smoke and ash in the air blinded her just as much as it did a normal person, or perhaps even worse, she did try to use her senses to re-orientate herself to her surroundings. At best she could tell where the cool oxygen at her feet was going and coming from, also she could tell the wooden and clay structure above her was groaning painfully as the heat ate away at it.

Peering around her person, she squinted into the darkness surrounding her at the glowing halls she was trapped in. It took a second but she began to understand where she was in the structure and just where she had to go to get out. Staying as low as she could to the healing oxygen still coating the ground like a morning mist, she moved towards the exit. As she moved she steered clear of the glowing columns of pure heat, knowing that while her body may have some resistance to its power her clothes did not.

She was making good time until she had to stop. She flashed her fangs and growled at the sight of the fallen debris barricading her in the fiery dungeon. Crouching near the floor she looked for another escape route, knowing full well by now the raging inferno had gained the attention of the local authorities.

"Damn vampires and their death trap. I knew the place smelt funny. Note to self, make sure there are no high accelerants drenching the place I'm about to torch a vampire in. Those bastards probably knew they were going to die soon if they soaked this match box in whatever flammable liquid they did. I know it didn't smell like gasoline but it was close." She muttered as she searched for some way of escaping that would leave her relatively un-singed.

Finally after what seemed to be an eternity she found one of the few places she knew she could escape from. Though she had to admit crawling out of a basement window barely big enough to fit her slim frame was a first for her. Just as soon as she was done squeezing herself out of the only opening big enough for her to crawl out of, she was hit with a sever coughing fit. She hadn't expected the cool fresh night air to assault her lungs so mercilessly. So kneeling there on her hands and knees just outside of the burning husk of a once beautiful villa, she tried to regain her ability to breathe normally and not cough up her lungs.

Just as the sound of sirens started to echo in her ears, she managed to regain her breath. Standing up she looked around at the back alley she found herself in. Not seeing anyone around, she sighed in relief as she sunk back into the shadows. She just hoped her friends managed to escape on their own, but she figured they were quite capable of that feat. Looking over her shoulder one last time at the large bonfire that was once a beautiful large villa she rolled her eyes to herself.

"And I wonder why there are people out there that consider me a terrorist. This one would definitely fit my suppose profile any day." She growled to herself as she shoved her hands into her pockets as she walked. It still mildly stung for her to draw a breath but she could feel her healing abilities fast at work restoring her respiratory system back to its former healthy glory. Letting her metallic armor once more recede back under her skin, she smiled as her bare fingers soon brushed on the still warm metal of the V-shaped crest nestled in her pocket.

Once she was sure she was a safe enough distance from the former vampire coven, she pulled out her cell phone. She sighed seeing the slightly melted edges of the plastic, but was pleased to see that was the only damage. She was also pleased to see she still had service, so without wasting time she dialed a number.

"Ms. Bella, you made it out." Dolph exclaimed happily as soon as he picked up. "We were worried that you got trapped inside the basement."

"Yea I got out. It took me a few minutes though. How is everyone else? No one got hurt did they?" Bella asked in slight relief to hear from her friend.

"Everyone is fine Ms. Bella. Aside from a few minor scratches and bruises we are all in perfect health and nearly back home."

"That's great to hear, how did it go upstairs? You didn't encounter any problems did you?" Bella asked relaxing now that she knew her friends were safe.

"Everything went to plan, well except for Mr. Hiro was blindsided by a Volturi vampire midway through the fight. He managed to take care of it without further injury though. Everything went to bloody hell when we started to dispose of our targets though. Mr. Dante managed to teleport us out of the building before the fires got too fierce. He was going to try to go down into the basement to retrieve you but the second floor of the villa collapsed blocking the airflow to the basement."

"It's alright Dolph, aside from inhaling some smoke and ash I'm perfectly fine. I'm just glad you guys got out before it got too bad." Bella reassured with a smirk. "I also ran into a Volturi vamp down in the cellar but managed to take care of it. I'll tell you all about it when I get back to our place. I just had to make sure you guys made it out safely."

"Of course, we will see you soon Ms. Bella." Dolph said with a smile in his voice before Bella heard him hang up.

Hanging up her cell phone Bella looked around the area she was in curiously. Seeing no one around to see her, she quickly climbed up the side of one of the buildings, making sure to leave as little evidence as possible. She found a few days ago it was easier to move through the city via rooftops, rather than getting lost in the twisting streets of the city. So with practiced ease she started to race her way back to her current safe house.

As she gracefully dashed across the rooftops she let her mind wander a little. She thought back to the last few years of her life. Things had really changed since she moved to Forks. She knew if someone told her this was how her life would be like eight years ago, she would have thought they had escaped a mental asylum. When she was seventeen she had no idea that vampires, werewolves, shifters, or mutants existed, she was more concerned about getting good grades to get into a decent college. Now though she was a multimillionaire mutant hunting vampires with a group of mutants. Allied to werewolves in her quest, one particular werewolf actually in fact had a crush on her. Then there was the whole mess with just being a mutant.

"I need a vacation." Bella decided after a few minutes of reviewing her past few years. "A long vacation."

As she landed on a side street close to where she and her group were staying, she felt a pulse of energy in the air. She itched the pale scar on her wrist as she felt a shudder run down her spine. She hoped that when this was all over with she wouldn't be affected by Ray's magic the same way she was now. She could almost taste the witch's magic in the air, it was one of the reasons why she sought the green haired woman out. Pushing those thoughts aside she smiled seeing her home coming into view.

"Guys I'm back!" Bella called as she walked through the door.

"Mère!" Grant called rushing up and giving her a big hug. "Where were you? You didn't come back with Oncle Dolph and the others."

"I had to take the long way around." Bella said with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'm just fine."

"If you say so, you smell like a fire pit." Grant said pulling away with his nose scrunched up.

"Ha, ha, where are the others kiddo?" Bella asked somewhat sarcastically making the boy grin at her.

"They're down in the cellar. Tante Ray needed some help." Grant said and Bella swung her arm around his shoulders.

"Well let's go see what they're up to." Bella said steering the boy towards the kitchen and the stairs down to the basement.

When Ray had told her that they had a living vampire statue in the basement she hadn't really considered what it might look like. She was surprised to find that the spell that the vampire was under made him seem to be made out of complete stone. His hair was the same sparkling pale as his flesh and his eyes looked like they were chiseled out of granite. Even his clothes seemed to have been chiseled out of the material that made up the rest of his body. All in all it was strange, especially since she could sense something was off about the statue but she couldn't tell what.

"Bella, there you are." Ray said tiredly but went over and gave the other woman a hug anyway.

"Hey Ray, guys, so I take it the shield's up?" Bella asked with a wry grin.

"Yes, we won't know until later if it worked but I have confidence that it did." Ray said with a grin. "Um, could we talk later; I have to put Chris to bed."

"Sure, I think we all had an eventful night. We can talk about it tomorrow when we all get some rest from our adventures." Bella said with a smile getting tired grins from her friends who all really liked that idea.

"Mère, does this mean I have to go to school tomorrow?" Grant asked as the others filed out of the room.

"Unfortunately yes it means you will have to go to school tomorrow." Bella said with a smile guiding a groaning Grant towards the door. "And it's really late so you, kiddo, should be getting ready for bed."

"Oui mère." Grant said reluctantly before going off to get ready for bed. Bella figured he was staying up just because she could be in danger. She really wished he wouldn't worry about her so much but it felt good to have someone concerned for her; especially with how out of control her life was becoming.

Suddenly an idea popped into her mind and she felt like smacking herself for not thinking about it sooner. "Come to think of it, I've been not thinking about much lately." Bella said with a frown. She would have to correct that habit and soon.

Sighing Bella went to her room and pulled out her cell phone. She frowned at the damage it went through, making a mental note to get a new one later. After staring at the device for a few minutes she finally sighed and started to dial a number she was very familiar with. As she raised the device to her ear she glanced at the clock noting the time and hoping it wasn't too late at night back in the States.

"Bella!" A happy and very familiar female voice exclaimed not long after the first ring.

"Hello Mom, sorry I haven't called in a while. I've been busy." Bella said with a soft smile as she flopped down on her bed.

"I figured as much. Ever since you left the states the last time you've been busy." Bella could just hear the slightly teasing but scolding tone in Renee's voice, but that only made her smile more. The mutant couldn't believe how comforting it was just to hear her mother's voice. "Now tell me what have you been up to lately? Meet anyone famous? Have a new man in your life? Seen any new sites? You've been taking care of yourself and my grandson right?"

"I've been okay." Bella interrupted with a chuckle in her voice. "I'll answer all your questions, just give me a minute. You do have time right?"

"Of course I do honey. I have all the time in the world for you and Grant, no matter what is going on."

Bella couldn't help the soft smile or the tears in her eyes hearing the conviction in her mother's voice. So swallowing a lump in her throat quickly, she began to tell her mother everything that she had been up to. She was glad once more that Hiro insisted on making all the lines of communication between the group and others were secure. It took Bella nearly two hours to tell Renee everything that had been happening, leaving out nothing. Ever since Renee found out and accepted that Bella was a mutant, the brunette did her best not to lie to her mother ever. For her part Renee just listened patiently as her daughter gushed out everything she wanted to say.

"And that's pretty much everything. I'm really confused mom; I don't know what to do." Bella ended with a sigh as she lay back on her bed.

"Well that is a lot that has happened honey. I can see where it would be hard to take it all in. Especially after your troubles with those Cullens was it?"

"Yea and it was Edward I had troubles with." Bella said with a sigh. "I need some advice mom."

"On what exactly honey? You've given me quite a bit to chew on."

"On the whole Richard thing and what exactly should I do about the Volturi? I'd ask Mad or Ray or even Dolph but I think an outside opinion would be best. We're all stressed out lately. I can tell." Bella admitted with a huff.

"Well first things first then, Richard. From what you've told me, even before you went to Italy he's always held you in high regard. You both are very close friends I know that much. But you should consider what your heart wants honey. Don't try to force anything that will make you feel trapped or uncomfortable. It will only lead to heartbreak for both of you in the end. Trust me that was one of the reasons your dad and I didn't work out."

Bella blinked in surprise. She hadn't really considered why her parents split up all that much. For almost as long as she could remember the two of them were divorced, so it just seemed natural to her. Pushing those thoughts aside she considered the advice she was given. "But what if my heart doesn't know what it wants?"

"It will; it always does. Who knows? It might blindside you one idle morning when nothing is happening and you're not really worrying over this issue. Until it does relax, continue being the friend you are to Richard, and keep an eye out for your other friends. Wars of the heart are much more traitorous than wars of the world. I have a feeling no matter what you say to him, Richard has and will always love you. Just accept it and don't worry too much about it. If it's meant to happen it will."

For some reason that advice actually soothed her worries more than anything else. Heaving a large sigh and relaxing she smiled. Glad she thought of calling her mother in the first place. It felt nice getting all of this off her chest. "So, what should I do about the Volturi?"

"Well from your dreams and everything else you've found out, I think you should get more allies. Not just the werewolves, though they will undoubtedly be good back up to have. You need allies in powerful positions and that know the land better than you do. You're fighting on the Volturi's home turf; they will always have an advantage over you just because of that. If you can try to find people like yourself to help you. If not mutants than those of like mind to your goals, just mind your manners. You're the one that needs help not them."

"I will mom, thanks. I needed to hear that I think." Bella said with a happy sigh. Sometimes she really did need to talk to her mom about things; it always seemed Renee could bring a refreshing point of view to everything happening around her daughter.

"Don't mention it, but I want you to be careful around that vampire Felix. I don't care if you can pick up a car and throw it across a parking lot; you are still my little girl."

"Don't worry mom, I'll be careful, promise." Bella said with a grin at the strong tone of her mother's voice.

"Good, now speaking of people named Felix, have you spoken with Conrad recently?"

"Um, no, I haven't. Why is there a reason I should?" Bella asked completely thrown from the change in conversation.

"I'm not sure but I have a feeling you should call him. Call it woman's intuition if you'd like."

"Okay mom, I will." Bella said with a smile but the two continued to talk for another hour. Bella was filled in on everything Renee had been up to. The mutant thought it was nice to hear her mom had started a non-profit organization for children with special needs, which was actually really taking off. Bella made a note to give the group a donation when she had the time. By the time she hung up with her mom Bella felt a lot better and not quite as confused as she had been earlier that night.

Checking the time once more and figuring what time it was in Seattle, Bella dialed another familiar number. She didn't have to wait long before the phone picked up. "Hello? Hades stop that, daddy's talking on the telephone."

"Hello Conrad, how are you?" Bella asked with a laugh as she heard the small gurgles of a baby in the background.

"Bella! It's so nice to hear from you. Andy and I are doing fine. Our little Hadrian has kept us on our toes ever since he joined our lives a year ago as always." Conrad said happily and Bella could hear him shifting his hold on the phone. She figured from what he said picking up the phone that he was holding his one year old son in his arms.

"That's good to hear. Am I calling at a bad time? You sound busy." Bella asked curiously.

"No, no, I'm just putting Hadrian down in his play pin. Andy is busy right now helping our new house guest so I have to watch my little Hades."

"New house guest? Since when have you two started a bed and breakfast?" Bella asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well we haven't, or if we have Andy hasn't told me. Actually it's funny that you called since I was going to call you about our guest. Um, why did you call again?"

"Don't worry; I'm not calling because of anything businesswise. I was just speaking with my mom and she insisted that you needed to hear from me." Bella said with a smile.

"Ah, your mother is an amazing woman, not nearly as amazing as my Andy of course but amazing nonetheless. There are times I swear she has some ESP like abilities."

"So what's so important she picked up on you needing to talk to me? Don't tell me it has something to do with your research." Bella teased smiling at the huff she received from her older brother figure.

"I will have you know I've made a few breakthroughs in my research recently. While they aren't what I'd call the smoking gun of a cure but they are baby steps to my greatest goal yet. If what I'm planning works I should be able to create a prototype cure in the next nine months. I have yet to see if it will actually produce any viable results but that is beside the point. Any results are viable after all."

"Are you going to go into detail of your discoveries or will I have to wait just like the rest of the public?" Bella asked dryly. While she did love Conrad as a brother, she found he could be quite annoying when talking of two subjects, his lifelong dream of curing cancer and his wife Amanda. In a way she was amazed by how much of an awestruck child he sounded whenever he gushed over the latest discoveries and failures he had in his research. Truthfully she figured if anyone was going to cure cancer it would be Conrad Leblanc.

"I know how much you get bored with my tangents on my research so I'll spare you the details. So let's go back to what I originally wanted to talk to you about instead."

"Ah yes, your house guest, may I ask whom exactly you two are taking care of?" Bella asked glad to be back on topic.

"Her name is Laura Kinney, otherwise known as X-23. She was found by some fishermen off the coast of Alaska half frozen. Apparently not only was she suffering from nearly drowning but she had a bad case of hypothermia. She didn't have any identification but you know how Andy is about people in need. Because she is still going through some physical therapy Andy has been letting her stay with us. Felix and I managed to test her DNA since Andy was certain she was a mutant. It turns out genetically she is nearly identical to Wolverine. Of course a few weeks ago she found out about it all, as well as our database. She hacked onto it and found out about your connection to Logan, as well as all we've found out about him. It took as a while to calm her down but now she has been helping out around here. Of course we went into everything, I hope you don't mind, you know about S.H.I.E.L.D. and the like. She wants to meet you after you are done with what you're doing in Europe. Despite how she acts I think she likes it here, especially since all the measures you've put in place to hide us from all our enemies. I know she has taken a shine to little Hades. She's become on unofficial nanny actually."

"Well, that's interesting." Bella said after a pause still not sure how to digest this information. She had no idea there was another person in her family.

"I thought so too. It seems HYDRA created a female clone of Logan a few years back and Laura was the result. She's socially stunted because of the conditions she was in growing up, but Andy has been working on that. I don't think she will ever be very expressive with her emotions but Andy's doing her best to get the girl adjusted to normal society."

"How old is she?" Bella asked curiously and slightly angered that HYDRA would even think of doing something like that. She knew the group was after the ultimate weapon but that went a bit far.

"She's about sixteen or seventeen. Don't worry; we'll take good care of her before you show back up. So how are things going with your vampire problem?"

Bella snorted at the change of subject but launched into what she and the others had been up to regardless. Unlike speaking with her mom, it took only a half an hour to tell Conrad everything. She did omit a few things but for the most part Conrad, Felix, and Amanda had always been pretty well informed during everything going on. If Bella didn't tell them, than Madison was more than happy to keep the three well informed.

"Well there is a group in Italy that I heard about that protects the country. I'm not sure how you can contact them but with what you're doing, they probably know about you. I do know they all have taken a vow of silence but still communicate somehow. Felix suspects they have some mild telepathic abilities. Anyway they are like the underground strike team hell bent on protecting the Italy from any possible threats. I'm sure if they think your goals are genuine enough they will contact you. Aside from that I don't know much about the mutant population of Italy so that might not be a good enough route to take."

"It's alright, I'll think something up." Bella assured with a smile.

"Well, Hades don't eat that! Um Bella I have to go."

"Alright, later." Bella said just before she heard Conrad hang up. She only slightly wondered what little Hadrian had been about to eat but decided she didn't want to know.

Rolling onto her side Bella let out a tired sigh. She could go to bed right there but the sting of ash still irritated her nose. So with some effort she got up and went to take a shower. It had been a long day and at that moment all she wanted to do was sleep. So it was no surprise as soon as she was out of the shower and back in her bed, she was asleep before her head it the pillow.

The next morning Bella was sitting in the living room with a cup of coffee with her friends. Luckily for Chris and Grant they had the day off from school. So they were lounging on the floor with bowls of cereal and still in their pajamas. Hiro was sitting behind his computer while Dolph was getting the last cups of coffee to his friends before sitting down next to Ray on the loveseat. Madison was yawning still wrapped up in a blanket as she leaned against Dante on the couch looking like she was seconds from nodding off again.

"So anyway the shields seem to be holding up well. From what I can gather after checking them earlier they are working just as I designed them to. So it is safe to say that the vampires are now stuck in the cities they were in as soon as the shields went up." Ray said getting a smile from Bella.

"Yes, now we can kick back a bit and won't have to worry about rushing around trying to track down those vampires." Madison said with a grin as she stretched.

"Perhaps." Bella muttered as she thought over the information.

"What do you mean by perhaps Ms. Bella?" Dolph asked looking over to their leader who was taking a sip of her coffee. Golden amber eyes were focused on the coffee table in the middle of the room gleaming in contemplation.

"There are still the werewolves in the countryside and the vampires outside of Italy we have to take care of. For now we can focus our strength on defeating the Volturi but if we want to get rid of the vampire race it will be a much longer fight." Bella said calmly still contemplating the new development.

"What are you trying to say Bells?" Madison asked leaning forward to look Bella in the eyes.

"I called my mom last night and she mentioned something I hadn't thought about." Bella said with a frown.

"Oh, and what did Senora Dwyer have to say?" Dante asked as the rest sat patiently waiting but curious.

"She pointed out how small our group is." Bella said with a snort. "I'm surprised we've gotten this far with how few resources we have at our disposal. At the rate we're going we'll probably be hunting down these vampires for the rest of our lives and not get an edge in."

"True, I hadn't thought of that." Dolph agreed surprised such a large detail had slipped their minds.

"Well what if the werewolves in the other cities start taking down vampires? They will just have to be discrete enough not to give away they exist and have sided with us." Ray asked making a few look at her. "You are right Bella that we don't have enough resources to take on every one of our enemies on our own. This will also give our allies something to do aside from waiting for our move."

"True, I'll talk to Ricci and Richard about it." Bella said with a sigh. "For today though how about we just relax? I don't know about you but I need a nap."

"YAY! NAP TIME!" Madison cheered jumping off the couch holding her blanket and giving Bella a large hug. Bella only had time to blink before the blonde woman was out of the room and already halfway down the hall, back towards her room. The others in the room just got a good laugh out of the reaction while Bella just rolled her eyes at her friends. It didn't take long after that for the others in the room to begin to disperse.

Bella had meant to go take a long hot bath in the nice tub in her room, but instead she sought out Niccola first. She knew she wouldn't be able to relax in her bath if she still had things to think about. She promised herself as soon as she sorted everything out with Niccola she would go take a nice long hot relaxing bath. She was contemplating if she should put some bath salts into the water when she found the Italian woman.

"Ricci, I need to talk to you." Bella said once more wondering when exactly Niccola got a room at her hideout.

"Yes Bella?" Niccola asked politely looking up from her beauty magazine.

"I need you to get a hold of your connections with the other packs. The shields Ray put up seem to be working just the way she planned on. Since they will limit the vampires' ability to escape and possible contact each other, I'm giving werewolves in other major cities free reign to deal with the bloodsuckers in their area. My only condition is that they leave the Volturi to me and mine." Bella said making Niccola's eyes widen and the werewolf sat up in surprise.

"Truly?" Niccola asked both surprised and pleased by the news.

"I haven't lied to you yet have I?" Bella asked in jest while she rolled her eyes.

"Well no but this is wonderful news." Niccola said with a grin. "So I take it once you've finished flushing the Volturi from Naples I will be the one dealing with the vampire threat?"

"Yes, I think we will be moving on to Volterra from here." Bella said tilting her head in thought. She didn't think the Volturi had any other areas of interest but she could be wrong.

"Well there is one place you should check into before going to Volterra. My friend Giovanni in Rome has been sending me word that there are a few Volturi vampires in his city. I'm sure he will appreciate it if you help him with that problem." Niccola said making Bella raise an eyebrow.

"Rome huh? Well I'm sure we can swing through there before heading to Volterra. It will also give us some time to gather a few resources as well." Bella started to mutter as she thought about the prospect of going to Rome.

"I do have one question though Bella." Niccola said pulling the mutant from her thoughts. "Will Richard be going with you to face the Volturi?"

"I'm not sure. He was sent to be a liaison for us and the werewolf packs here in Italy. More than likely he will leave as soon as we get to Rome. I know there are no werewolves in Volterra and once we've met Giovanni was it? We won't really need him with us." Bella said making Niccola look down.

"Well then I will ask him about it since it seems you are unsure." Niccola said getting a confused look from Bella before she shrugged her shoulders.

"You can if you want." Bella said before turning. "We're not doing anything today so you can go back to your place if you want." She threw over her shoulder as she walked away from the werewolf. She was more interested in having a nice long relaxing bath than what the Alpha werewolf was up to. She did make a note to talk to Richard about what he was up to though. Feeling better than she had in a while she went to relax for the first time since she came to Italy.

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YAY! Yea things are moving again. We even get to see the Seattle crew, well heard from them. Yes I managed to put X-23 in there as well. She will be showing up a few more times as well I think. I have to look back on my notes. I figure since Bella has been putting safe guards in place to throw off HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. X-23 would be safe with her. Aside from that this chapter decided to fight me all the way and sorry about any mistakes you might have found. By the time I finished this I was so annoyed with it that I didn't fix much. Just made sure it flowed right. Yea, I better start the next chapter and hopefully it will be kinder to me.

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	8. Chapter 8

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes, I finished another chapter. YAY! I really have no exuces for not posting sooner, mostly it was the lack of motivation to write. I know people love this story and all but I'm really not a Twilight fan, and even if my story is way out in left field now I still have to research the books and stuff to keep this story somewhat consistant. So yea, running into debates over Edward and Jacob really grate on my nerves when I'm trying to look up what possible vampires and powers are at my disposal for the Volturi. Bah, at least I'm an X-man fan and this isn't too painful. Also the reason for lack of motivation is because I'm beginning to craft my own book. I've written fanfiction for years and I'm now going to try a stab at pure fiction. It's still in the planning stages but it's gotten in the way of my stories. Never fear, I will still continue this story for not more than giving my poor abused imagination some down time in a field it already has amble practice in. So yea, if it seems I've abandoned this fic just send me a review reminding me it's still unfinished, my friends say I have ADHD when it comes to writing. In other news, I would like to thank all of you who have reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this fic, as well as all who have voted on my poll. I've decided to keep the poll up through the whole Rome section of this fic. Yea, I think I've rambled enough, sorry if you run into any mistakes I didn't exactly put my heart into editing this time around.

**ENJOY!**

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Bella sighed as she carefully folded another of her shirts and tucked it into her suitcase. She couldn't believe that they were finally leaving Naples. It felt like years ago that they got to the city but it was only at best three months. It had been difficult but they had managed to finally track down the last of the Volturi vampires in the seaside city and eradicated them. The final confrontation had been the night before and already they were packing up to leave. She wondered if she was pushing her friends to hard as she finished putting the last of her clothes into the suitcase on her bed.

Zipping up her suitcase she plopped down on the bed and put her chin in one of her hands. She thought back to the night before when they got the last two Volturi vampires in the city. The fight had been rather epic since it involved four covens, nearly fifty newborns, and the two Volturi vampires. While she admitted that the Volturi may keep the oldest and strongest to themselves, even they didn't compare to several desperate covens allying with each other. She winced as she recalled the large gash and several broken ribs Dolph was suffering from. The cat-like mutant wouldn't be in fighting condition for at least two weeks thanks to his ribs alone and Bella cursed herself for it. She should have planned their attack better, too much could have gone wrong and it was only now she had time to think did she see the glaring holes in her tactics.

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty; I'd like to wring the neck of the bastard that coined that one." She muttered with a sigh while standing up. The only reason she was willing to move her group now was because it would take time for her and her friends to get situated in Rome. The down time that came with relocating to a new safe house would give all of them a much needed break from all the action.

Sighing she stood up and looked over her room carefully once more. Deciding she had everything she would need, she left her room. Anticipation coursed through her veins as she made her way down the halls of her hide out. She figured she would go check on how far along the rest of the packing was going. She was glad at least that Niccola sent over a large number of werewolves to help out, it made things move much more smoothly. Especially since Dolph couldn't lift anything heavy or really put his hands over his head, he made up for that by bossing their help about and making sure everything was as it should be. In the end the only thing Bella and her friends needed to pack were their own clothes and any items they wished to bring with them to Rome.

"COME ON DANTE! JUST MOVE THE DAMN BOX ALREADY!"

"Senorita, I would if YOU WEREN'T SITTING ON IT!"

"Geez what's your problem? Wake up on the wrong side of the bed again? Or in the wrong bed?"

"Oh that's it, DIE!"

"AHH! Kitten! Save me! Dante's gone loco!"

Turning the corner Bella couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the scene before her. She also tried to stop the slight twitch at the corner of her lip from being noticed. At the moment Dolph was standing there sighing with his head in his hand, while Madison was crouch behind his legs peeking past him with wide eyes at a fuming Dante. Bella wondered just how much Madison had bothered the Argentinean that he now was fighting to keep control of his powers. She was impressed as she saw her normally laid back friend's clothes get pulled by a small vortex of wind swirling around him. Even his ever present cowboy hat was almost flying off of him if he didn't have the string keeping it from falling from his neck. Needless to say, Bella could only sigh and wonder if Madison purposely caused these situations or if it was just something that came naturally to her.

Hearing a heavy sigh, Bella turned to see Dolph giving Madison a calculating look. "As much as I would like to help, I still have some things to supervise. I highly doubt Mr. Dante will harm you. Now run along, I'm sure there are still some things you must pack as well."

"But kitten, if I move he'll chase me." Madison pouted making sure to hold onto the fabric of Dolph's khaki slacks.

"That is not my problem now is it. If you hadn't drank any coffee this morning and insisted on bugging our dear friend while he is suffering from a hangover, this wouldn't happen. Now if you'd please let go, I really do have things to do." Dolph said politely ignoring Madison's version of a kicked puppy look.

While the blonde had a great success rate with that look, Bella knew Dolph was a stickler for meeting deadlines and keeping things organized. If the brunette didn't know any better she would have thought the redhead mutant had some form of OCD. Bella also found it amusing to see even though Dolph was being polite, he was almost as stiff as a board and his tail and ears twitched in annoyance. She was almost betting any minute now a tick would develop near the other mutant's left eye.

"Hey guys, do I want to know?" Bella asked deciding to save Dolph from the predicament he was in. Not only was her friend injured, he was the only one outside of probably Ray that was making sure everything ran smoothly. It wouldn't do to annoy the kitten any more than he was or have an insanely hyper Madison and hung over Dante to get into a fight with the Englishman in the middle.

"BELLS! My hero, tell Dante not to massacre me!" Madison yelled before rushing behind her adopted sister to hide.

"Why is he trying to kill you?" Bella asked giving just the slightest of nods to Dolph as the Englishman shot her a relieved smile before he quietly left the area unnoticed.

"Well Dolph told us to get these boxes to the moving truck so that's what we were doing. I was helping and so maybe I'm a little out of it since I had coffee with my morning sugar. But Dante is being a bastard and throwing a hissy fit because I was happily minding my own business. It's not my fault he has a major hangover from the partying we did last night in celebration of eliminating all the Volturi vampires from here. By the way did you ever thank Ray for creating that spell that targets vampires by what crests they wear?" Madison rambled quickly making Bella smile slightly.

"Yea I did." Bella said before looking over at the still fuming Dante. The wind had died down quite a bit but the man still had his head in his hands and was muttering to himself in Spanish. "How about this Mad, if you quietly and quickly take care of all the things Dolph told you to do, I'll front the bill for that restaurant you want to go to in Rome? The seafood place you wouldn't shut up about, uh La Rosetta was it called?"

"Yes! That's the place! Oh! I can't wait!" Madison said bouncing up and down. "The reviews alone make it sound exquisite!"

"But you have to finish your work quietly." Bella stressed getting an energetic nod from the blonde woman before Madison bounced off to finish her tasks.

"Gracias senorita." Dante muttered into his hand as he tried to massage away his headache.

"Don't mention it, now go sit down somewhere and drink some water until you feel better. What have I told you about drinking?" Bella asked turning to her friend who gave a slight groan.

"It dehydrates the body, sí, I know." Dante said making Bella roll her eyes as he went to take a break.

Bella continued on in her quest to see how things were going. She found Hiro and Ray down in the basement, carefully packaging up the vampire statue. Seeing the two had everything in order, Bella went to check on the two youngest members of her group. She was amused to find Chris bossing around a werewolf who was helping her pack. The werewolf in question simply smiled and took the treatment in stride simply because Chris knew what she was talking about. Bella continued on down the halls a few doors before smirking at the sight she found.

"You do know a suitcase is generally used for clothes right?" Bella asked as she walked into Grant's room. The young teen was currently trying to stuff all his video games into a suitcase.

"Oui, I know, but oncle Dolph said all the suitcases will be in the van with us." Grant said as he held a case for a PS3 game in his hand, calculating where to put it.

"So why are you stuffing it with your video games?" Bella asked curiously as she looked over his shoulder. He at least knew how to pack well enough from his life on the road. She doubted even with a lot of bumps the gaming systems and games inside would be jostled. She was slightly amused he managed to have at least two outfits among the electronics though.

"And have them in the moving trucks? Do you know what happened the last time I did that? I had to take apart my Xbox and fix the wires and boards for it to work again! Even when I did that, it still wasn't completely fixed until oncle Hiro took a look at it. I'm not risking my precious games like that again." Grant said crossing his arms and glaring at his mother who smirked.

"You sound like a girl fretting over her favorite pairs of shoes." Bella said simply getting a huff from her adopted son.

"What do you want mère?" Grant asked dryly seeing the amusement still dancing in Bella's eyes.

"Just seeing how far along you are in packing. The others are almost finished, so we will be making our five o'clock deadline." Bella said getting a nod from Grant.

"I'm almost done. I just have to finish up packing this suitcase." Grant said with a smirk as he expertly slid the game he was holding into place. Once he was satisfied he found the right spot he flipped the top closed and zipped up the traveling bag. "There, all done."

"So where did you put your clothes?" Bella asked looking around only to find two small boxes.

"In there, it's not like they'll get damaged if the truck runs over a pot hole." Grant said motioning to the two boxes. "So why are we going to Rome anyway mère?"

"Well aside from the ten Volturi vampires we managed to locate and take down here, there are ten more trapped in that city. Our goal is to simply track down and eliminate them. It also gives us a better base near Tuscany were Volterra is located. Sure we could station ourselves closer to the city in one of the neighboring towns but it's not uncommon to see tourists in Rome." Bella said getting a nod from Grant.

"Hiding in plain sight, I get it." Grant said looking up at his mother curiously. "Will Eyes and I be going to school while there?"

"I spoke with Ray on that one and we both agree to not send you to school. Did you like going to school?" Bella asked seeing his slight disappointment.

"Oui, it was interesting and I got to hang out with kids my age. I liked my teacher as well. Of course the closest friend I had at school was the son of a werewolf but that's beside the point." Grant said with a shrug getting a laugh from his mother.

"Don't worry kiddo; you and Chris can attend school once things settle down again. In fact if things go well for the next school year you will be either attending school in England or Seattle. I'm not sure which one yet. I'm leaning more towards Seattle though since I have more security measures in place." Bella said thoughtfully getting a nod from Grant.

"What do you mean if all goes well?" Grant asked curiously.

"Well if we defeat the Volturi and the werewolves manage to bring the vampire population down to zero here in Italy. There are less than a hundred vampires outside the country and they're all being monitored by werewolf packs around the world. That's mostly due to the extensive hunting our team did before we even came here. As soon as the Volturi are whipped out the werewolves have orders to take out the other vampires across the globe. We may need to assist if things go south but I can honestly say we are almost finished with what we started." Bella said getting a surprised but pleased look from her son.

"Mon dieu that's great!" Grant exclaimed nearly jumping in excitement before he gave a pause. "Mère, what is oncle Richard going to do when we get to Rome?"

"Well from what he told me yesterday he is going to stay with us until we're settled and have made contact with the Rome werewolves. After that he is going back to England. He still has a pub to run and Kent has been the only one he trusts manning the place since we left." Bella said getting a disappointed nod from Grant. "Hey, cheer up; it won't be the end of the world. We can swing by his pub after we defeat the Volturi. At least this way he won't be in the crossfire of the epic battle that will come."

"Oui, he will be safe, okay so when are we leaving again?" Grant asked making Bella roll her eyes and laugh.

"Five o'clock this afternoon, if you want to bug Richard until then fine. Just don't get in the way of Dolph and his ser-I mean helpers." Bella said getting a laugh from her son who was already making it out the door.

"Oui mère, I'll be good." Grant said before disappearing down the hall to find their werewolf friend.

Bella merely smiled and began to move her son's boxes to the ones going with them in the moving truck. She still didn't know why Niccola insisted they go to Rome by road and at night but Bella had a feeling in her gut that Niccola was right this one time. She may not particularly like the female werewolf but after getting to know her a little better Bella had gained a few grains of respect for the Italian woman. So as Bella set to work helping out around the house, she couldn't help but smirk in anticipation. They were one step closer to defeating the Volturi and ending their seven year long hunt. Not only that, but she had a feeling that Rome would hold a key to their success, so she couldn't wait to get there.

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YAY! Yes I know rather short but it's more along the lines of a filler chapter anyway. Next stop is Rome for Bella and crew and that is where the fun begins. I have a lot lined up for them there in my notes so expect a lot of things happening. As it were things will finally start moving a little more quickly towards the end, hopefully. In the mean time don't let me forget this story.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yea, I managed to whip this out pretty quickly. I didn't do much in way of editing, I'm too lazy. I did re-read it a bit so it flows right but that was about it. Most of the errors will be gramar and spelling again. I would like to thank all those that have reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this story.

**ENJOY!**

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"Master, it seems the barriers that keep us in Volterra are also affecting others in other cities around Italy. The few of us that were outside the cities when the barriers went up are not able to make it out of the country." One of his most loyal and perhaps one of his most favorite subordinates said. She was a small girl with blonde hair and bright blood red eyes. A powerful member of his guard he found it disconcerting neither she nor her brother could get past the barrier keeping all of them in their chosen city.

"Is that so? I wonder who it is that put up this strong barrier. I also wonder why they are specifically targeting us." He asked thoughtfully leaning back into his throne.

"Come now Aro, you know who exactly is behind this. It's that damnable woman we failed to take care of time and time again. I told you we should have sent the full force of our guard to eliminate her before she gained the upper hand." A sharp voice filled with contempt said to his left.

Looking over he took in the form of his co-leader and perhaps the most bloodthirsty of the trio. His long blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders and his blood red eyes were fixed in a glare. "Now Caius we don't know if it is Ms. Swan behind this. Besides who's to say this little snag has gained her the upper hand if it did. Marcus doesn't think so do you Marcus?"

He turned the almost despondent brunette on his right. He took in his brother-in-law's form with enthusiastic curiosity. The other vampire just stared off into space apathetically, his dull blood red eyes seemed out of focus and his expression fixed in a dour expression. "We have no evidence of that fact."

"See, even if it was her it just proves how interesting she truly is!" Aro said ignoring the dull tone of his brother-in-law's voice. There were times he truly regretted killing his sister, it seemed with her death the happiness in his co-leader and friend was sucked straight out of him.

"Regardless, she is dangerous Aro! If the Cullens were still alive no doubt they would have been executed for their foolishness!" Caius growled making Aro sigh slightly.

"Will you please calm yourself, we cannot change what has been done in the past. We can only look to the future. As it stands we are in quite the interesting predicament! First and foremost we have to protect our power! In that regard, Jane please report about our forces, where are our guard?" He continued happily ignoring the irate blonde vampire sitting only a few feet from him for now. He knew Caius always acted violent to even the smallest of threats to their way of life. Aro didn't mind his fellow vampire's paranoia but there were times the leader of the Volturi wished his friend would lighten up a bit.

"There are ten of us including Alec and I that are stuck here master, eight others including Heidi are stuck in Rome, while Felix and Demetri are able to roam in between cities. Felix should be here shortly with news of what happened in Naples and our ten missing members. Demetri is currently going to Rome to investigate rumors of the human being there." Jane reported trying to stamp down her sneer near the end but he noticed she couldn't quite manage it.

"She has a name Jane, her name is Isabella Swan. Due try to remember her name, she is quite unforgettable if rumors are to go by." Aro corrected absently nearly giddy with anticipation of meeting the woman that had the vampire society in an uproar. He had no doubt he would eventually meet the young woman that killed off so many vampires that stepped in her way. He wanted to meet the woman responsible for the destruction of his good friend Carlisle and his family. Vegetarian the Olympic coven may have been it didn't mean Aro held anything against his old friend; in fact he was more intrigued with the Cullens than he'd like to admit.

"Of course master." Jane said obediently with a small bow to him and his co-leaders.

"That is all Jane; please have Gianna send Felix directly here when he returns." Aro said dismissively barely acknowledging the blonde vampire's deep bow before she left.

"Do you think it wise to disregard Ms. Swan? She has proven time and time again as she has eliminated coven after coven that she is both dangerous and a danger to us. It is said she defeated the Romanians with them barely able to lift a finger to defend against her." Caius immediately reminded him when the doors closed behind the younger blonde.

Aro restrained himself from heaving a heavy sigh. It seemed the more time passed the angrier and more aggressive his blonde co-leader became. "Now Caius, I am neither disregarding her nor the fact that she is a threat. She will have to be dealt with but she could become a very formable ally. She and her friends have ripped through hundreds of vampires before coming here; just imagine having that kind of power at our disposal! Of course we will have to iron out a few flaws but it shouldn't be a problem, not with Chelsea at our disposal."

"But she will undoubtedly come here and not willingly! With only ten members in our guard we won't stand a chance! She has proven to be a powerful opponent on the battlefield!" Caius argued making Aro smile slowly.

"That is true but who is to say we will only have ten members in our guard when she comes?" Aro asked curiously.

"What are you saying Aro? That we swell our guard with numbers?" Caius asked with a frown.

"It is a thought; we will need at least a shield to protect us from her initial attack." Aro said offhandedly with a slight smirk.

"But where would we find the humans we would need? Only Felix and Demetri can leave the confines of the city without running into an invisible wall. Not even you could break through it." The blond demanded while his leader looked at him patiently. "You are not saying? But that is HERESY!"

"It is not heresy when faced with problems such as these." Aro explained away calmly.

"Problems? There is only one problem and she only has five friends at best!" Caius said with a frown but all the brunette could do was shake his head.

There really were times that Aro truly wished his blonde co-leader would not fixate himself on one thing and see the bigger picture. There were times he often wondered if he was the only one to see the bigger picture. He could feel it deep down that Bella Swan wasn't their only problem. There was a taint to the air that didn't involve the shields keeping them trapped in the city. He had only felt this taint once a long time ago, the same taint his two co-leaders should recognize but time seemed to have erased their memory of it.

"Bear in mind Isabella Swan isn't the only one that could send an apocalypse our way Caius." Aro advised with surprising seriousness most didn't associate with him.

Silence reigned in the large throne room for a few long minutes. Marcus and Caius were at a loss for why their leader was in such a solemn mood. Aro could tell both of his fellow vampires were mildly intrigued as to his mood but he didn't elaborate. He knew deep in his very being that should they survive their confrontation with Isabella there was another threat darkening the horizon. It was a threat not even he was confident to say could be defeated easily. He found it disconcerting that nearing the eve of Isabella's final meeting with them, another far more ancient and darker force would also be making his appearance in this world. Aro hoped beyond hope that whatever happened, he either made it through the upcoming months without a single scratch or not at all. However it seemed luck was on his side at the moment, since just as Caius was opening his mouth and Aro was preparing another round of harsh questions of his authority, the door opened.

"Masters." Felix said after entering and bowing low to his leaders. "You wished to speak with me immediately?"

"Yes, please tell us what you found out in Naples? Where have the missing members of our guard gone?" Aro asked curiously making Felix frown.

"They were destroyed by Bella Swan master." Felix said bowing lowly. Aro would have thought the bow was to show a sign of deep respect but he suspected it was to hide a wince at Caius' immediate reaction.

"THEY WERE WHAT? Aro! Surely this is evidence enough to slaughter that woman and her friends immediately!" Caius exclaimed turning to the brunette leader almost accusingly.

Mentally sighing he tried to think of a quickly way to placate the blonde vampire. "Now Caius while I would agree with you we are not in the position to take immediate action. Our forces are spread thin and we are stuck here in Volterra. No, we will wait until she comes to us. We are the masters of this city and not even a skilled human can take us were we know the lay of the land like the back of our hands."

"Very well." Caius finally conceded thinly before turning to Felix. "Continue." The blonde snapped.

Aro was beginning to wonder if he only won because of a small technicality, he didn't like the implications if that were true. Regardless Aro leaned back and carefully listened to all Felix had to report. There were many intriguing things he learned from the report. He was quite curious of the powers Isabella seemed to poses. There was also the fact that Felix seemed to be enthralled by the woman, even if the younger vampire hid it well from Caius at least. Aro suspected from the slight shift that Marcus made the other ancient brunette realized Felix's fixation as well. He decided if things turned in their favor he would allow Felix to have Isabella. It wouldn't harm anything and with time it could help strengthen the woman's loyalty to the Volturi. His thoughts were only confirmed when he saw Felix's thoughts, although he also became rather curios of the near-silver haired woman who could dissolve into a mercury like substance.

"Very good, very good indeed, this can work. Felix, go to Rome and track down Demetri. You two are to monitor Isabella and observe her group closely. Do not fight her. Find what her goals are and report back here to us. If she is coming here to fight us like I suspect we will have to be ready for her attack." Aro said getting a nod from Felix who quickly left after receiving no further orders.

"And what are we supposed to do?" Caius asked slightly more placid than he had been.

"We are going to prepare for Ms. Swan's arrival of course. There is a lot to be done and little time to do it in. We shall have a grand party!" Aro said happily clapping his hands together.

Unannounced to the three vampiric leaders, a set of vivid green eyes drifted shut as the owner messaged her temples and reached out with her mind. **_Father, father are you there?_**

**_Yes, what is so urgent you are contacting me while you are still in that tower?_**

**_Something has developed, it is very important._** She responded letting the presence of another mind to invade her own. She felt the other person shift through her most recent memories that were translated from the very vibrations in the air. She waited patiently as the seeming disconnected vibrations were transformed into a complete picture of what happened in the throne room. While she could sense and decipher the slightest vibration in the air into a type of sonar it took her memories to give each vampire leader their true images in her mind. Soon though she felt the presence pull away slightly. **_Father?_**

**_You've done well, don't worry you shall be able to leave soon. Hopefully even sooner than expected, be careful._**

**_I will father._** She sent to the retreating mind as it pulled fully away from her. The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat made her jump slightly. Vivid green eyes opened and looked up at the blonde female vampire in front of her desk.

"I'm sorry Ms. Jane, is there something I can do for you?" She asked politely.

"Master wishes for you to take care of these and make some arrangements that are in the files." Jane said handing a stack of files to the human secretary. "Are you well enough to accomplish this Gianna?"

"Yes, of course Ms. Jane. I just have a slight headache, nothing to worry about." Gianna reassured with a friendly smile.

"Humans and their ailments." Jane sneered walking away, unaware of the sharp calculating green eyes focused on her back. Gianna really hated that little blood sucking brat.

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YAY! Yes, this isn't Bella's POV, I got tired of writing her POV and decided this would be a good chap to break up the location change. Plus it gives some insight into what the Volturi are up to so that's all good and they aren't just a passing mention. I hope y'all liked my take on Aro, Marcus, and Caius. Oh and Gianna was talking telepathically to whoever she's calling father, I know who but you don't. Anyway next chapter we'll be seeing Bella again!

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	10. Chapter 10

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Wow, heh, okay. I know I haven't updated in a while and honestly it was mostly because I lost what little interest I had with this story. Don't worry I didn't abandoned it I just had to take a break from banging my head over all things Twilight. Yea, I really don't like the books and can barely stomach the movies, something about it just makes me overly frustrated. Anyway, I'm back sort of and ready to continue this story. I want to thank all of you who have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed this story. **Note**: I tend to update more when I know people are interested in this story, if you don't review it or anything I honestly don't know if you like it or not. I wrote this for my sister and she has lost interest in it so now it's all up to you guys to make sure I continue it.

**Disclaimer**: I own only the stuff I've came up with. The rest belong to people who are not as poor as dirt like I am.

**ENJOY!**

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The first thing she noticed was the sound of running water. With her eyes still closed she let out an exasperated sigh. She highly doubted she was going to wake up in the real world, especially since she doubted the van she and her friends were in had an indoor waterfall. So inhaling some of the crisp air around her, she let out a deep breath as she opened her eyes. She found herself sitting up on one of the large boulders surrounding the waterfall and pool of water.

"Alright, who and what am I going to run into this time? I hope I see Carlisle, I really need some sound advice." She muttered to herself as she jumped off the boulder and looked around. Shrugging to herself she started to follow the bubbling stream that flowed away from the pool of water at the base of the waterfall. She figured she could climb the rocks next to the falling stream of water but she really didn't want to exert that much effort in exploring the place she was in.

She was unsurprised that aside from the addition of the stream the woods surrounding her hadn't changed at all. She had looked into some books about dream interpretation and symbolism but she couldn't for the life of her find out the meaning behind a forest of golden woods. She knew the forest wasn't in a perpetual fall since it lacked the smell fall had, but she never seen large trees with natural gold leaves before. She knew plants usually had green leaves thanks to the whole photosynthesis process but she didn't know if it could naturally occur with gold colored leaves.

"They just add to the whimsical feel of this place I guess. Why couldn't my subconscious come up with something else less dramatic though? I keep feeling like if I turn around I'll see a unicorn stalking me or something." She placed her hands on her hips and stopped to look over the forest one more time. She supposed she could try to wake up especially since they were in the van heading towards Rome, a trip that would take about two and a half hours to three hours depending on traffic.

Shaking her head she continued on. She had to get this over with so she could worry about other things, like what she was going to do about her lack of information. She didn't want to relive the trauma of one of her friends getting hurt like Dolph had been in the last fight.

"I really wish I could see the future or had an inroad into the Volturi. Too bad most of the underground spy rinks are illegal and highly expensive. Not to mention are very secretive."

She knew she was dreaming and she was talking to herself but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling she was going a little insane. Really, she was thinking about spy rinks and illegal activity all the while dreaming she was in some whimsical forest that let her see the dead. She really needed a vacation.

Her musings were cut short by something small and fast ramming into her stomach and latching onto her waist with a squeal. She was so stunned she couldn't stop herself from falling from the momentum of the person latched onto her. As her back slammed into the earthy ground she knew only one person who was short and fast enough to catch her off guard, one dead person at that.

"Hello Alice." She greeted looking up at the golden canopy.

"Oh my god Bella, I'm so happy to see you!" Alice said into her stomach still trying to hug the life out of her. Despite herself Bella felt the corner of her lips kick up slightly in a small smile.

"I'm glad to see you as well." Bella said before Alice stood up and offered her a hand. "How have you been?"

"Death is rather relaxing when you think about it. I even got a better hold on my powers of sight!" Alice said as Bella brushed herself off.

"That's great, you figure out how to win the lottery?" Bella said as she pulled a stray leaf from her hair with a frown. Alice just giggled and grabbed her hand.

"I don't really need money now, but I could go for a shopping spree at the mall for old time's sake." Alice said looping her arm around Bella's as they walked.

"Sounds like something you and Rosalie would do. I heard from Ricci that they're going to have a fashion week or something along the lines in Rome while I'm there." Bella said rolling her eyes and letting her lips kick up once more in a small smile.

"Oh my god, you so have to go! Take your blonde liquid metal friend with you, Madison? I think that's her name, she would so totally get you to have a good time." Alice said with a grin making Bella laugh slightly.

"I don't doubt she would, but she's more into punk rock than she is into Gucci. I can take her to Wal-Mart and end up with a cheap designer grunge wardrobe in under an hour." Bella said thinking back on when she first met Madison when she worked for Hot Topic.

"True, she's a little more edgy but still she's been good for you." Alice said with a smile. "I honestly hadn't seen her coming until you guys showed up and left my family in a funeral pyre."

"I'm surprise you hadn't seen us coming sooner."

"I'm not. I could see things pertaining to humans and vampires mostly. I could catch a glimpse or two after your powers came out but nothing concrete. I think it was because my powers hadn't come out in full until after I turned into a vampire. If I had been able to see how things would turn out I would have done something to prevent them. At the very least not have let Edward hurt you the way he did, I never wanted that for you." Alice said looking down with a slight sigh, only for Bella to bump her slightly. Looking up the shorter girl found herself looking into calm wise amber eyes.

"I'm not sorry for anything that has happened. I am grateful in a way, since I have never felt as free as I have since that day. When he let me go, he opened the opportunity for me to truly spread my wings and take off in ways being a vampire would have never let me. What has happened has happened. There is no going back and no reason to." Bella said seriously getting a slight smile from Alice.

"True, everything has turned out for the better at least. Well not for the better per say, you are still in a war with the Volturi." Alice said the smile not leaving her features.

Bella groaned and ran a hand over her face. "Don't remind me. I nearly lost Dolph in our last raid. I don't know if I would survive any of my friends dying for this stupid war. I get we all have a connection to this conflict but I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth dying over."

"It is." Alice said making Bella look at her sharply. "I told you, I have gained more control over my gift. You and your friends need to do this or more than just you guys will be in danger. I can't promise there will be no casualties but I have seen more often than naught, you and your friends standing victorious in front of a burning Volterra. You need allies though; you will find them when you reach Rome. I also suggest that you be careful, while Rome will give you allies it will put you in very precarious situations. There are still going to be a few trials before you can stand over the burning corpses of the Volturi, be ready for them."

"I'll try, by the gods I will try, Alice." Bella swore with a sigh. "But the trials I've faced thus far have not spared me scars."

"Scars heal and fade with time."

"Don't give me that shitty Carlisle wise man advice. If I have to hear it from anyone let it be the damn man himself or Mad." Bella huffed getting a giggle from Alice.

"You don't have to worry. In time you'll see Carlisle as well. I'm not really sure what this place is or how it works, but I do know when you're ready you'll see the others." Alice said motioning to the forest around them as they walked, still latched onto Bella's arm.

"I figured as much, but it'd be nice to know how this is happening. I mean I'm seeing dead people." Bella said as she scanned the area around her before turning to Alice for answers.

"I can't tell you much, just that for some reason we're being called to you. Maybe it's Fate itself giving you guidance or just the result of a prayer from a friend, but its happening. Just roll with it, it'll leave you with less of a headache. You can ask Carlisle if he knows anything when you see him." Alice said with a grin.

"Will I see you guys again or will you move on to where ever it is dead people go?" Bella asked after a moment of silence. She refused to acknowledge her teeth worrying her bottom lip, it wasn't worth the effort.

Alice pulled her to a stop and they turned to face each other. Bella noted in their little walk they had wandered away from the babbling brook to what looked like a small clearing. The wind had picked up slightly but not enough to be a hindrance. For a moment they just stood there with the leaves dancing around them, eyes locked as Alice seemed to search for something Bella couldn't see.

"I don't know. I can't see that far." Alice then said a small sad smile dancing on her lips. "If this is the last time we do see each other, friends?"

Bella looked down at the offered hand of the once vampire. Looking up at the dark brown eyes of the petite girl with brown pixie hair, she tried to find the enemy she once saw. In the end all she saw was the spirit of the vampire she had once felt nothing but resentment and anger, dressed in pure white robes. There was no way the mutant could hate or even consider this girl an enemy, or anything close to it.

"Friends." Bella said grasping Alice's hand firmly with an assured air. The last thing Bella saw as her world turned white was the large sincere grin on Alice's face, brown eyes dancing in true happiness.

"YOU WHORE!"

Groaning Bella blinked her eyes opened to the suddenly noisy van she was sitting in. The angry yell belonged to Madison who was seated in the very back of the van. A glance in the review mirror easily allowed Bella to see the blonde trying to slink over the two middle seats. Dante had a good enough hold on Madison's waist though, keeping the blonde somewhat in her seat.

"What's with the racket?" Bella said after a yawn.

"Bells, whack the flea beaten bitch driving will you? She's a whore to the tenth degree!" Madison's reply made Bella glance over to the female alpha sitting in the driver's seat. Apparently Niccola had done something to piss of the normally happy Madison. The small smug smile on the werewolf's lipstick panted lips also compounded the deduction that Niccola had purposely pressed Madison's buttons.

"Ms. Mad please calm down. You will wake the children with your uncouth shouting." Dolph said from the seat closest to the front.

"Shut it kitten! I'm going to strangle the bitch."

"Mad-chan calm down, you don't really want to wake up Grant-kun or Chris-chan do you?"

"Fuck them! They've been around us enough to know over two fucking hundred ways to tell someone to go fuck it!"

"Mad, hun, please don't wake up Chris. She can be a right terror while on road trips. We're almost there and you can rip Niccola a new one when we are settled."

"Go blow chunks Ray, I'm pissed off right now and don't give a flying shit about twelve year old wenches."

"Would all of you shut your traps? You're all going loco."

"I have to agree with you on that one."

"Richard! Don't take this bastard's side, he's practically molesting me."

"Only because you won't sit in your seat, senorita."

Bella sighed and turned to Niccola. "How much longer until we get there?"

"We're just coming up to the city now." Niccola said indicating the growing number of buildings ahead of them.

Bella looked up at the growing city sprawling out before her. She was once again glad she was in the front seat and not dealing with the chaos going on behind her. As the noise started to escalate she was also glad Grant and Chris really were sleeping through it. She didn't know what she would have done if Grant started to add in his two cents. With one more sigh she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"Hello Rome, I hope you don't mind chaos." She finally muttered. She decided to ignore the soft laugh from Niccola.

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YAY! Yea I know it's short but this is also one of those dang transition chapters that nothing really happens in. I'll try to make the next one longer. In the mean time hope you liked it. I don't know if I pulled off the sequence with Alice but I did do my best. Until next time.

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	11. Chapter 11

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yo! Yea I updated pretty quick this time. I have to thank those that reviewed for that. I honestly hadn't realized people were still reading this until it was recently reviewed. Updates will be rather sporadic though since I lost some of my notes. I still got the basics of where I'm going with this though so don't worry. Anyway thank you to all of you who have reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this story.

**Disclaimer**: I only own that which I have dreamed up myself.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

In the many years of travel she had done, Bella never understood the attraction to monuments. Sure she could understand the, sometimes deep, significance behind them but really, it was just a sculpture or something. She had to admit Mount Rushmore was impressive, so was the Statue of Liberty, but that was because they were freaking huge. She had seen the Great Pyramids and even the Eiffel Tower and Great Wall of China; she bet in their heyday they had been spectacular, but there was just something about a crumpling stone structure or overcrowded steal tower that lost its luster.

She concluded it must be the people that put off the true beauty of monuments. Horribly dressed, camera flashing, idiotic humans who didn't care so much for the beauty of something significant outside of saying they had seen it once in their lifetime. The greedy merchants setting up shop to stink up the air around an exquisite monument also didn't help, especially if they handed out little action figures or snow globes of the monument they were squatting at. Don't get her started on the overly high priced eateries that also tended to crop up around monuments, it always left her snarling and not just at the price of a simple hotdog either.

"Ms. Swan you are snarling." The crisp feminine voice of her companion cut through her moment of despise easily enough.

Bella took a deep breath and decided to no longer focus on the area where she found herself. Niccola and she had left her friends with the van and moving truck to go find the Rome Alpha. When he had told her to meet him at the Spanish Steps she hadn't realized what he had meant. Now though she found herself being jostled in a crowd of tourists all wanting to see the rather exquisite craftsmanship of a set of outdoor stairs she would have found amazingly beautiful on any given day outside of a tourist attraction. Really the place had a beautiful old world flare to it that was ruined by the masses, vendors, and restaurants stationed around the rather mundane attraction.

"I hate tourists." Bella said pinching the bridge of her nose as an exceptionally smelly woman walked past her. The overpriced perfume the woman wore was enough to give Bella a sinus headache.

"Don't worry, we won't be here long. We just have to find Mr. Marino." Niccola said as the two pushed their way through the crowds. "And there he is."

Bella looked up to see if she can spot the person Niccola indicated. She found herself looking at a rather tall handsome Italian man leaning against a fountain. He had short dark brown hair that seemed to be purposely styled to be windswept, hazel eyes, and the same tanned skin Bella was beginning to associate with people from the Mediterranean area. A casual green shirt hugged snuggly around his toned chest and his jeans seemed to be tailored for his sculpted long legs. Bella briefly noted the simple track shoes he wore and the rather expensive watch he also wore.

Bella's eyebrow twitched as he man stood straight and with an amiable smile approached the two of them. She was beginning to dislike the fact that anything supernatural had to look sexy in its own special way. She knew not all mutants looked like walking Roman gods and it was just not fair to her subcategory.

"Giovanni Marino, it has been a while." Niccola greeted as the man came up to them.

"Likewise Ms. Ricci, but you are as beautiful as ever I see." He responded and Bella was treated to one of those high society kiss the cheeks greetings that made her stomach churn in disgust. She was beginning to wonder if becoming a hermit was an option for her or if that was just a whimsical dream.

"I would like to introduce you to Ms. Isabella Swan. You've spoken with her over the phone, yes?" Niccola said indicating the brunette mutant next to her.

"Ah, yes, it will be a pleasure to work with you Ms. Swan. And an even greater pleasure to see you when you are not blending in with the majority." Giovanni said as his hazel eyes traveled over her body in an obvious way. Bella knew she was in her normal disguise and was quite glad for it, especially since some of the women were tossing her and Niccola rather jealous looks. However, she rather despised the way most alpha males acted, it was one of the reasons she tried to stay away from them.

"Of course but do try to keep your hands to yourself. I will not be responsible for any injuries that might happen if they wander." Bella said miraculously keeping the snarl out of her voice.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to come off as so bold." Giovanni said with an apologetic smile.

"It's fine. Now if you don't mind, I and my friends would like to know where our lodgings are in this city of yours." Bella said doing her best not to cross her arms and glare. It wouldn't do if she suddenly challenged her new ally; she wasn't in the position to do so.

"Of course, lets us go to the cars and you can follow me to your temporary residence for your stay here." Giovanni said and the two women headed back to the waiting van and truck.

"If he tries to hit on me I'm going to show him exactly where to shove it." Bella growled under her breath making Niccola laugh.

"Don't worry; he is like that with anything female. You could say he likes to show his appreciation of the finer sex." Niccola said making Bella look up at the sky with a sigh.

"I'll warn Mad and Ray then. I don't think he wants to suddenly find himself cursed, attacked by flesh eating plants, or attacked by a living pool of metal." Bella answered back making Niccola laugh even more.

When they got back to the van, Bella was honestly surprised to find it still intact and all the occupants still inside. She was half expecting to find a small crater in the ground and the smoking remains of the vehicle smoldering off to the side. Instead, Niccola once more got into the driver's seat and it wasn't long before the two vehicles were following a rather classy and expensive Ferrari down the road. If there was one thing Bella learned about Italians it was they enjoyed good food, good wine, and good art. It reminded her vaguely of her time in France.

The van eventually pulled up to a nice four story building that looked like a small hotel. The structure itself fit quite nicely into the old world Rome feel of the surrounding area. Though it seemed a few beats away from the normal tourist routes, it still had the slightly touristy feel to it as well. The added bonus was the fact that being off the beaten path it was somewhat secluded.

"Here we are." Giovanni said as they got out of the van. "I own this little inn, one of many actually. I tend to let my more important guests use of it when it is not fully booked. Luckily when I got the call of your intentions we were just getting the last few patrons checked out, so the whole building is free for your use. While I don't mind if you use your powers inside I do ask that you keep the structure relatively intact. I also ask that you see to any damages during your stay, otherwise it is free."

"Thank you Mr. Marino." Bella said with a sigh of relief that she and her friends would soon be settled into their lodgings.

"I've already asked a few of my wolves to come help unload your truck. Is there anything they should know beforehand?" Giovanni asked curiously while Grant and Chris rushed inside to find their rooms.

"Yes, we have a statue that is of great importance and cannot be damaged under any circumstances. Rayna will most likely over see the move of it, but can you tell your people to be mindful of it?" Bella asked knowing Ray would indeed not let anything happen to the statue.

"Of course, would you like for me to help you get settled in?" Giovanni asked and Bella just about punched him in the jaw at that moment.

"No thank you, I can manage on my own." Bella said politely before going off to find her own room and to get away from the Rome Alpha for a bit. She was only slightly grateful when she noticed Niccola step in to distract Giovanni for her. Really, after the two women got over the fact that they were both rather dominating in nature they formed a rather tentative alliance.

Suddenly she paused as the wind shifted. Vaguely, as if just there to tease and whisper to her senses, she could smell a distinct smell on the air. Looking around she couldn't find the direct source but knew it had to be close. Despite the mountainous area she had found herself in, not to mention the city itself, she doubted the honey sweet smell of flowers and blood was indicative of Rome. Looking to the area up wind from where she stood she tried to locate anything that may be out of place. When nothing moved and no one down that way seemed to be highly out of place, she silently snarled. There was no doubt in her mind that vampires were in the city and they were close.

"Ms. Bella is everything alright?" A few obvious steps behind her were soon followed by a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine Dolph, just a foul scent on the air."

Patting the hand on her shoulder once to reassure the other mutant, Bella drifted off into the hotel. She would have to deal with the vampire look out later. For now she had to set up their temporary base and plan the next few days out. She knew she really would need a map of the city as soon as she could get her hands on one. She wasn't going to let Giovanni personally show her around, especially with how friendly he was towards her.

Thankfully it only took a day to really set things up in their new location. They were far too familiar with temporary bases of operation and their set up than any of them would like to admit. It wasn't long before the group was in a small conference room with Giovanni. Bella was once again cursing the fact that Niccola only stayed long enough to make sure the mutants would be fine settling in on their own before returning to Naples.

"So what are your plans for your stay here?" Giovanni asked leaning back into the chair he was seated at while Bella looked over a map Hiro managed to find of the city.

"While in Naples we heard of rumors that the Volturi had a few vampires stationed here. Our goal is to simply make sure they are eradicated before moving onto the main prize, Volterra itself. You're cooperation is appreciated but if you feel all you've done is sufficient we understand." Bella said as she tried to figure out which areas to scout first.

"Nonsense, I offered to help you deal with the vampire problem here in my city and I shall see that offer through. Besides, I have far more resources at my disposal than you and yours do." Giovanni said before he tilted his head. "What of your initial plans?"

"First we have to do a sweep of the city. We need to figure out just how bad the infestation is. We would use the spell we used in Naples to locate any vampires in the area. However, the last time we used that spell it nearly broke the two protection spells we already have up. I will not risk the vampires being allowed to flee or breed if we can help it." Bella said glancing at Giovanni before looking to her friends.

"Dolph-san is still recovering from the near miss of the last fight we had in Naples. I suggest we wait until he is of sufficient health before starting anything. It will give us time to become better acquainted with our new environment as well." Hiro suggested getting a nod from Bella.

"I'm fine with that. Besides, we need some down time after the past few days. We could go sightseeing and you still owe me that dinner." Madison said from her spot closest to Bella.

"I know, Mad, I know." Bella said with a faint chuckle. "If you can find it on the map you can go there. Perhaps even have spend the day poking around in the area if you wish."

"Oh, that sounds fantastic! I wonder if there are any good underground clothing stores, or better yet if there are any neat nightclubs in the area." Madison said clapping her hands together in glee.

"And what of Mr. Lawrence? Will he be staying with you for much longer or is he going to be returning to his home in England?" Giovanni asked making Bella worry her lip for a second.

"I'm not completely sure of his plans. It is between him and his alpha. I have no say in what he does." Bella said not taking her eyes off of the map before her.

"Ah, I shall speak with him then."

"Mère, what will Eyes and I do while you are looking for vampires?" Grant asked making Bella pause for a bit. It was true that her adopted son was getting restless and sending him to school was risky.

"I think we will work on your powers and fighting ability. If it is sufficient you can accompany us on a few small raids." Bella finally said not knowing if that was the best course of action but it would give the thirteen year old something to keep him occupied. It was either that or getting him several more video games, something she really didn't want to do at the moment. Despite that, she ignored the overprotective feeling curling in her stomach at his happy and excited exclamation.

"I think you need to speak with our friends back in the States, hun. Let them know what we are up to." Ray said making Bella pause for a second.

"You know, I actually think you're right. The last time I spoke to them I found out X-23 was staying with them. At the very least I can find out what HYDRA has been up to." Bella said gazing off into nothingness for a few moments. While she hadn't completely forgotten about HYDRA she had listed them as a not so immediate threat. She had only thought briefly on the affects X-23 might have on Conrad and his crew since the last time they spoke everything was going fine. "Actually, you guys figure out what you want to do for the next two weeks. We will lay low and figure out our plan of attack in that time. I have a few phone calls to make."

The various sounds of acknowledgement followed Bella out of the conference room. She made it up to the rather nice room she had found for herself. While it wasn't a suite, Madison and Grant took up the only two in the building, it was comfortable and had a balcony that overlooked the courtyard in the middle of the rather large hotel.

Checking the time and making a quick calculation she pulled out her cell phone and leaned against the railing of her balcony. As she dialed Conrad she looked down over the small garden with the rather nice fountain that served as a centerpiece. Really, she was beginning to fully understand the rather long lasting effects of the Renaissance. Bella could see the artistic influences even now in the newest fashions she had seen within the city.

"This place is far too extravagant for my taste. I'd rather be back in the States where natural beauty has always been prevalent." Bella muttered eyeing the stone walkway below her.

"That's only because here we have all those national parks the government have preserved." A voice in her ear said making her smile slightly.

"Hey Professor C, sorry to be calling you at work but I have a few things I need to discuss with you. Are you busy?" Bella asked turning her attention away from the courtyard.

"Its fine Bella, I was just getting out another one of those boring meetings about budget cuts. I'm glad I have all the private investors I do, otherwise I would get nowhere in my research." Conrad said sounding both tired and exceptionally happy.

"That's good. I know how dedicated to your goal you are. Anything interesting coming from the research and development department?"

"Nothing much outside of the usual, my thesis on tea plants has been a big hit though. Although at the moment I'm currently working on isolating the chemicals in cannabis to make an effective prescription drug to help with the treatment of cancer. Though, they don't know what plants I'm using. You even say the "C" word and you have the ATF knocking on your door. Not that I don't have all the papers I need to remain the realm of legal I would rather not involve government organizations that have no idea how an illicit substance can be used to heal people. Did you know that Coffee was actually a medicine before it was commercialized to be an everyday pick-me-up? Imagine if the governments of old had illegalized it permanently, none of us would be caffeine addicts."

"Heh, sounds like you're having fun. Ray loved the seeds you sent her last time. We had to stop her from plotting all those plants around the place. But that's as nice as this is. I didn't really call to talk science."

"And why did you call?"

"I wanted to hear how things are going with Kinney living with you guys. I'm in Rome now and we are setting up shop for another two months at least. I want to make sure she isn't in any danger we can avoid."

"Ah, I should have known you would worry after you have some time to sit down and think. Well, she is doing well. She really likes Andy and Hades. Honestly she is a bit of a godsend even if she has the emotional range of a teaspoon. She's gotten better but she still has her moments. Also we figured out something rather strange about her."

"What is it?"

"Well I don't know who or why, but she has a trigger scent. When she smells it she goes all but berserk. I've been slowly training her out of it using slightly similar smells but it's been very slow going. I think she has been getting rather uneasy with the experiments. I know she doesn't want to do anything to hurt Hades, for whatever reason she really loves my little devil."

Bella hummed to herself as she narrowed her eyes in thought. While she didn't really know X-23 outside of what she had heard, but she knew the other mutant was rather powerful. She also knew X-23 had made a bit of a niche in the Seattle crew and wouldn't want to do them any harm from the sounds of it. She could understand; she herself had a few close calls when her anger got the better of her.

"Conrad, if she is willing, let her come here to Rome for a while. Richard is heading back to England soon and it will leave a hole in our defenses and power. While I don't know her very well, she sounds like she could use a bit of a vacation. If you send the conditioning things to me, we can condition her to ignore that trigger scent in relative safety. I know out of the five of you, Felix is probably the only one to control her when she flies off the handle. Here we have more than a few that could probably restrain her, I being one of them."

"I think that would be for the best. Felix has mentioned something going on at the HYDRA base near Forks and it's gotten Andy a little antsy. She doesn't want anything to happen to Laura, she's adopted the teen."

"Just give me a call if and when she heads out way. In the meantime don't do anything too stupid. I never know when I might need your expertise with genetics."

"Don't worry about me, Andy would skin my hide if I stepped out of line."

"That's good. I'll let you get back to work then. Talk to you a few days at best I suppose."

"Of course, and I promise to call as soon as we work out what to do about Laura's situation at the moment. Now if you excuse me, I have a few reports to review."

Bella laughed to herself as she hung up the phone. She really did love Conrad like an older brother. The man however was obsessed with his work and life dream. The only time she could get him to focus on anything else was when they spoke about his family. But she surmised getting into a debate about the affects chemotherapy has on a person was better than debating the upcoming Super Bowl.

Pushing those thoughts from her mind she went over what having X-23 in her group would bring. She knew it would be a little awkward at first to interrogate the young woman but it wouldn't be difficult. She was more worried about finding a good place to train not only X-23 but the rest of her friends. She didn't know about Dante, Dolph, or Hiro but she knew Grant at least needed a place to cut loose. She doubted Giovanni would want Grant turning his nice large hotel into a ticking time bomb.

Out of habit she began to dial another number, and let the phone ring.

"Hello."

"Hey mom, how've you been?"

"Bella! Oh, I've been doing great honey. Phil and I just got back from sailing through the Caribbean on his new sail boat. You should have been there, the weather was fantastic. We even got to stop at a few of the small islands. I haven't had so much fun since that time I talked you into going sky diving with me before you left Arizona."

"That sounds great mom. Well at the moment I just got to Rome. I haven't seen any of the sights yet, we just got done unpacking, but I'll make sure to take some pictures to send you."

"I can't wait. You really need to get one of all of you together in one picture. I got your last ones of you and Grant in Greece, he has really gotten big."

"Yea, I think he's shooting for the six foot five mark. He's almost tall enough to look me in the eyes and still growing. He misses you though. We're thinking about coming to visit once we finish touring Italy."

"I'd love that, could you bring some wine with you when you come. I know Phil would really love it. When we went to California two months ago we got to stop in on some of the local winery. He also promised that when he goes out on the road again to check in to some of the wineries near St. Louis and even the few in New England."

"Sure, I'll remember to pick some up. I don't know if it will be any good though, Hiro is more of the wine lover, even if he often drinks Sake like it's going out of style."

"So how is everything going? You're eating right and staying out of trouble I hope."

"Yes mom, Dolph is pretty much our dietitian and cook wrapped up into one so we've been eating well. As for trouble, there hasn't been any recently. Naples was great for the most part and outside a few bumps and bruises things didn't turn south."

"That's good to hear. I know how much you stress over the smallest things when it comes to your friends. I swear you act like their surrogate mother half the time. Don't forget to give yourself some time to relax, go out on a date or something. Treat yourself to something nice. Speaking of which, could you give me your newest address, I picked up a few gifts that I just have to send you and your friends."

"Alright mom."

Bella not only gave her mom her new address she spent the next half an hour catching up on things. While she couldn't tell her mother everything she did gloss over most of it. She even got an idea from her mom about buying a rundown old building to convert into a training area. She didn't know if there were any rundown cheap buildings in Rome but she could ask Giovanni. All in all it was nice to speak to her mom, especially since she needed to get her mind off of all things vampire for a while. However, soon she had to hang up, promising to call later.

Bella leaned against the railing of her balcony for a moment in thought. In all things were going great and that's what made her worry. In her experience if things were going off without much of a hitch than something bad was coming. She didn't know what but she could practically feel it in her bones things weren't as trouble free as they seemed.

The other day she looked up what was going on in the world at large. There were a few instances of mutants in the states, mainly New York State. While she didn't think it involved Wolverine and Sabertooth, she knew there was a chance they had some involvement. She had a feeling that Xavier was one of those goody-goodies that would do his best to stop other mutants from causing harm to humans. She had nothing against that but her grandfather worked for the man and her great uncle worked for the man's nemesis, or at least she thought so based on the information Hiro and Felix managed to dig up. While she was still a little leery of going up to them and telling them she was Wolverine's granddaughter and Sabertooth was his half brother, she did worry about her family. As far as she knew she only had a few family members.

Thinking of her family made her wonder where the hell Daken gotten off to. The last time she heard of him was when Madison nearly got jumped by him in Portugal. Since it had been a few months she figured he would have shown up by now. Bella doubted he would simply leave her friend alone, he seemed too fixated. So she figured either he was hanging back and observing their movements, or he got a job he was taking care of. She knew he was an assassin after all, but she wouldn't complain. Everyone needed a little bit of money to eat after all.

Sighing she shook her head and jumped off the balcony to land gracefully in the courtyard below. She was not going to worry about the dysfunctional sometimes sadistic family she came from. She was already worrying over X-23 even if the two of them hadn't met face to face yet. So instead she wondered what sort of souvenirs her mom picked up on her sailing trip through the Caribbean.

"Hey Richard, got a minute?" She asked seeing the werewolf in the hallway. There was one other piece of business she had to clear up before she set her friends out to go sightseeing.

"Yes, what is it Bella?" He said coming up to her curiously as she continued towards the kitchen of the hotel.

"When are you going back to England?"

"My plane leaves in two days. Is that a problem?"

"Not really, but with you gone we're down a powerful fighter. I made a call to a friend back in the states and we might be able to pick up a mutant replacement, but until then we're a man down. I just want to make sure how many able fighters I have in my corner before sending the others out to go sightseeing. I don't really want any of them to be caught off guard and for me to find out that I don't have the forces to help them." She explained as they walked through the door to see Dolph already poking around the kitchen.

"Ah, I'm sure Mr. Marino will help you with security though. He seems to want a more active role in helping his city than Niccola did." Richard said as he nodded to Dolph who had looked up when the two walked in.

"That's what I'm worried about. You know my trust issues." Bella said sitting down at a small table in the kitchen.

"True but I honestly believe he won't do anything to get in your way. From what I've heard Niccola is the Alpha of Alphas here in Italy. With her in your pocket he won't do anything to piss you off." Richard said with a shrug.

"Yea, but you know Niccola and I are only allies when we remain out of each others' striking range. We've smoothed out some of our differences but she's still an Alpha." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "I hate to break it to you Richard, but alpha werewolves don't really like it when another species tries to take command of their territory. They take offence to the show of control and view it as a threat if you don't really play by their rules. I know for a fact I don't want to step on anyone's toes with this."

"Don't worry about it. We are all here working for one goal. I know you don't know a whole lot of my species' history but the Volturi have had it coming. In fact out of all the werewolves there is only one that can be considered old world, his name is Jacob Russoff. His family has said to have been cursed the lycanthropy since werewolves were first prominent slaves of vampires. I'm not sure how much is true about the stories but I do know since then there have been several different branches of the same curse. Most of the main old world lycans however were killed by the Volturi who saw them as a threat rather than easy labor. I'm not sure how or why that came about but I do know it's a reason why most werewolves today really don't like the Volturi and vampires like them."

"Okay I get that, but what about after the Volturi are gone? I don't particularly like the phrase I owe you. Especially with the way Marino was eyeing me when we first met. Vampires are enough trouble. I don't need their furry adversaries pounding on my door as well." Bella said with narrowed eyes.

"That's something you'll have to take up with him. Are you saying after you're done here in Rome you'll be taking out the Volturi?" Richard said with his eyebrows rising up his forehead.

"More than likely, I still have to centralize my powerbase and look into a few more trustworthy allies but we're that close. With the major members of the guard cut down to a manageable minimum we will be in a position to easily overthrow those bastards in their marble citadel. I doubt even if they managed to somehow undermine Ray's spells that an army of newborns would be a match for us." Bella said leaning back in her chair in thought. "Though we probably should figure out a good way to safe guard that from happening. I don't want the possibility of facing an army of newborns on top of everything. Hell if it was up to me I'd call in some old friends from Washington to help but I doubt they would offer any assistance."

"How do you know?" Richard asked curiously, he knew Bella had a few contacts around the world but he really only knew of the crew in Seattle. He barely even knew the strength of the Seattle crew as well; Bella did her best not to comment much on them. He figured it was because Mad's supposed cousin and brother figure was among them.

"They protect their land and their land only. They might come, but they wouldn't come in force. Hell, I doubt they even realize I know about their powers. If they do they haven't tried to get a hold of me to confirm the facts between us. No, I'll keep that option only as a last resort. As much as I know they'd probably pitch in this isn't truly their fight." Bella said with a sigh.

"Then, perhaps we should get in contact with other mutants that are willing to help us." Dolph said finally joining the conversation as he finished sliding a roast into the oven.

"That's the thing, though, no matter how much Hiro and I dig we can't find any traces of mutants here in the country. I know they are probably somewhere but so far all the usual methods have turned up nothing. Unless we go out on the street and actively search for a mutant using any sort of power I doubt we will find them. The growing turbulence in America pretty much has the whole mutant population at large ducking for cover." Bella said with a sigh.

"I'm sure there's someone in this country willing to fight to protect it outside of our wolf friends. We just have to find a decent lead as to whom, how, and if they would be willing to work with us." Dolph said with a smile.

"I agree with you on that one. But who would I appeal to for help? The Pope?"

"Don't be so sarcastic Ms. Bella. I'm sure even the Pope himself would help if needed." Dolph said with a chuckle.

"Yea, yea, how are you feeling by the way?" Bella asked turning the conversation elsewhere. She still would have to spend a few hours at least figuring out all the logistics, not to mention what the plan for Rome was. But she didn't really want to get into it right now; it was beginning to give her a headache.

"I'm feeling better. My injuries are healing and I managed to get my things in order in my room." Dolph said with a grin as he began to add ingredients to a bowl. Even from where she was sitting, Bella could smell the unsweetened coco powder and bag of sugar.

"Baking again? Are you sure you're alright? I honestly haven't seen you cook this much since we first brought you into the fold. I'd even go so far as to say you're almost turning into Betty Crocker or something." Bella said as her conversation with Mad a few weeks ago drifted back to her. The catlike mutant really was baking up a storm for weeks now.

"I'm fine. Really, there's no need to worry about me." Dolph said one of his ears twitching slightly and his eyes shifted from side to side. Bella easily picked those signals up and knew then it had to be something personal.

"Now I am worried. I'm beginning to find the more someone tells me not to worry about something I usually ended up having to worry about it. You're not in trouble or anything right?" Bella asked glancing over to Richard who seemed to be picking up on the same nervous behavior she was spotting.

"No, it's not trouble. I'm just having a few, how do you say, social inadequacy problems." Dolph was practically pouting as he looked down to avoid looking at the two sitting at the table.

Bella blinked in thought, the only time she had seen him act like this was when she and Madison had to give him lessons on social behavior. He had come a long way from his long ago problems, ending up a rather endearing and polite gentleman. There was only thing the two women didn't fully cover in their attempts to socialize him.

Dully Bella could only ask. "You have a romantic interest we don't know about?"

It was the only thing she could think of that she knew either her or her friend didn't fully cover. She figured Dante at least would be able to help the kitten in that area. Not only were the two women romantically inept, they were female. Bella certainly didn't have the first clue as to how men deal with romantic feelings, nixing of course their attempts at one night stands. She had been in enough bars to know how most men went about trying to get into a woman's pants.

The answer to her question came when Dolph turned an interesting shade of red. For a moment Bella marveled at the fact that the catlike mutant's skin could almost match his own tawny hair. It was answer enough though, and it also stunned Bella to the core. She couldn't even begin to figure out when Dolph of all people ended up with a crush on someone. Oh, she knew that there had always been a possibility, the kitten had always craved affection, but she hadn't thought it would come out in romantic feelings for someone.

However, before Bella could further question the other mutant, the door to the kitchen opened. Bella's golden eyes glanced away from Dolph still blushing face for a second to see Ray now standing in the kitchen. When her eyes went back to the Englishman, Bella was slightly surprised to note he had gotten just a tad bit redder in the face.

"Dolph, hun, are you alright? You're looking a bit red." Ray said looking over to their friend in concern. Seeing the kitten was even more uncomfortable with Ray in the area, Bella decided to quickly step in.

"He's fine. He's just a little embarrassed to me admitting that I thought his last batch of triple chocolate chip cookies were orgasm worthy." Bella made a mental note to once again limit her time with Madison, or at least think a little more before she said something in situations like this. Although the reactions all around were pretty amusing, Richard made a strangled choking sound, Ray's eyebrows shot up to her hairline and Dolph probably would be staying bright red for at least ten more minutes.

"I see." Ray finally managed to say after a few beats of silence.

"Hm, is there anything you need Ray?" Bella asked steering the conversation to a more productive course.

"Ah yes, I was actually looking for you Bella. I need some help with the vampire statue. I don't know what your plans for security are and right now it's just sitting in the foyer." Ray said getting a nod from Bella.

"Alright, guess I have to get moving. Talk to you boys later." Bella said standing up and making her way to the door. "We have to get that moved before something happens to it."

As the doors closed behind them, Bella could almost hear Richard once more picking the conversation up where it had left off when Ray walked in. She didn't mind, if anyone could help in relationship therapy she figured a bartender could pull it off. Gods knew bartenders had a habit of hearing more life stories than psychiatrists did. She just hoped Richard could help Dolph with whomever it was the kitten had a crush on. As Bella began to direct things once more, she made a small mental note to tell Madison why their kitten had been so upset for the past few weeks. If anything she knew her sister in everything but blood would be more at ease knowing Dolph's behavior was caused by nothing too serious.

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YAY! Yea, sorry if there are any gramar or spelling errors. I just read through it to make sure it flowed right. Um, yea a lot is starting to happen but I'm not sure how long it will be until Bella faces the Volturi. I still have a lot to do until I get there. Anyway, I have some stuff to do before I can post the next chapter, until then:

REVIEW!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yay! I finished another chapter. I also didn't edit this as much as I would like. However I'm being forced to go out of town to visit my family for two weeks. I don't know when I'll be able to update but I will up date. Thanks to all of those that have reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this story.

**ENJOY!**

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She had known from the moment she had woken up that it was going to be one of those days. It came to her like a bolt of lightning. Well no, it came in the form of her face planting into the ground after rolling off her bed. She still hadn't gotten used to the luxuriously fluffy bed in her latest hotel room. She figured it was a pillow top, no matter how squishy it seemed to be there was some firmness to it. That aside, Bella greeted the morning by kissing the floor and she just knew in her gut it would be one of those days.

Squirming and wriggling out of her sheets, she made her way to the bathroom. Exiting the bathroom fully dressed and relatively awake, she promptly ran into the wall next to the door. She was seriously beginning to go over the merits of having a coffee pot in her bedroom. Coffee always seemed to cheer her up and let her function properly in the mornings. There was less likely a chance she'd run into anything or trip over air. So as she contemplated the possibility of having a coffee pot in her room with a timer on it, she didn't want a stale cup of Joe after all, she stumbled down to the kitchen.

When she got there she didn't find the usually bustling Dolph making breakfast and greeting her with a cup of black coffee. Instead she found a note sitting innocently on the counter. Reading it over, she growled and crumbled the piece of paper with narrowed eyes. Apparently they didn't have coffee in Giovanni's little hotel so Dolph had to go out and get some. Which meant Bella would have to wait until her friend got back to have her morning cup of coffee.

Sighing in defeat and wondering if she could get away with crawling back into bed, Bella glanced at the date. It had been three days since they came to Rome and Bella's stomach dropped as she realized what that meant. Today was the day Richard left to return to England. Not that she minded, she'd rather him be safe on his home turf than running around some place unfamiliar to him fighting a virtual army of vampires, she lost enough sleep as it stood already. That aside it was also agreed before Richard left that night that the whole group go sightseeing. Bella wondered if she was going to develop a permanent twitch in her right eyebrow.

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Bella decided to simply turn to what she could accomplish at that moment. Dolph wasn't the only one that knew how to cook after all and her friends knew she could make a mean omelet when push came to shove. That in mind she began to put things together to make a rather simple breakfast for her friends and herself.

While she cooked her sleep clogged mind started to slowly turn over everything she had planned that day. In the morning she and Giovanni were going to look at a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. If the place was sufficient she was going to buy it and turn it into a training area for her team for now. After that she was going to meet up with her friends at the coliseum to go sightseeing. Madison felt they should hit all the normal tourist spots first just to get them out of the way. After that they were all going to go out to eat and then drop Richard off at the airport where they were going to pick up X-23. Already Bella was deciding it would just be more productive if she crawled back into bed.

"Bella-san where's Dolph-san?" Hiro asked groggily as he came into the kitchen. She looked over her shoulder in time to see him plop down at the small table and put his head on his folded arms. He looked for all the world like he was going to go back to sleep right there, even if he was dressed for the day.

"Spur of the moment shopping with Giovanni, left a note, make our own breakfast, no coffee or tea." Bella managed to mutter out loud enough for her Japanese friend to hear. She was surprised she managed to say all of that as it was, she really did not like mornings.

Hiro seemed to groan slightly before closing his eyes and drifting off. Bella envied the man since she was the one cooking breakfast and couldn't drift off to sleep. Instead she focused on the task at hand, wondering if Giovanni purposely sabotaged their morning ritual or if he really didn't know the value of a nice cup of warm black coffee in the morning.

It didn't take her long to set out a few plates of omelets around the table for her friends. Hiro only shifted and nearly used the newly cooked eggs as a pillow. The added glass of Orange juice for each setting wouldn't be appreciated all that much but it was the best she could pull off. She should have asked Dolph to make a shopping list and gone shopping yesterday. She only vaguely wondered why she hadn't done that when she remembered yesterday Madison got her hands on a case of Red Bull. Needless to say the whole day was spent running around the Hotel doing damage control as Madison raced around whacked out of her mind with energy. Bella had once again wondered if there was anything wrong with wanting to flush her best friend down the toilet.

"Morning y'all." Ray muttered walking in ready for the day as well. She was a bit more of a morning person and only raised an eyebrow at the lack of her morning tea.

"Dolph's gone shopping." Bella said in way of response as she sat down to eat her own omelet and drink her own glass of orange juice.

Surprisingly Grant and Chris were the next ones to drift into the kitchen; usually they were the last ones to pull themselves out of bed. Seeing them fully ready for the day also was a surprise but the excitement that seemed to radiate off of them told Bella they simply couldn't wait to go sightseeing. Not long after Dante and Richard wandered in the former looking more like he was in a walking sleep than the later. In fact Dante was just shy of sleep walking so Bella wasn't too surprised he nearly choked when he took a gulp of orange juice rather than the coffee he was used to.

"Mierda, whose orange juice is this?" Dante asked holding up the glass he grabbed.

"Yours." Bella answered calmly while Grant and Chris hid their laughter as the gaucho blinked at her.

"How'd I end up with orange juice? What happened to my coffee?" Dante asked looking around finally noting everyone had orange juice.

"Apparently there was no coffee or tea stocked in the kitchen so Dolph had to go get some. I cooked breakfast and could only find a carton of orange juice so suck it up." Bella explained trying to ignore the fact that her right eyebrow gave a rather noticeable twitch.

"Oh, gracias senorita." Dante muttered turning back to his breakfast now slightly more awake.

The meal continued rather quietly as they all slowly woke up. So when the door opened they were surprised to see Dolph standing there with Giovanni, both holding grocery bags. They had all been sure Madison would be down soon, she was the morning person in their group. Then again most figured she was still going through withdrawal from her little Red Bull incident the day before. Incidentally everyone just went back to eating as the two newcomers put their burdens down on the counter.

Suddenly an ear piercing scream echoed through the whole hotel.

Bella blamed it on the lack of coffee and tea, but the group only looked up at the ceiling. They all carefully followed the sound of footsteps rushing through the second story hallway, originating from Madison's room. The fact there were two distinctive sets of footsteps clued Bella in that someone was chasing her blonde friend.

The footsteps raced down the stairs and surprisingly turned in their direction. It only took maybe two minutes or less for a blur of silver to rocket into the kitchen.

"GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!"

Bella was nearly knocked out of her chair when Madison jumped into her lap and latched onto her like a life line. The brunette's ears were still ringing from the screech that accompanied her friend's entrance to the room.

CLANG

THUMP

Bella and the group looked down at the now motionless body that slid to a stop just before the small breakfast table they were all seated at. Bella idly noted that the motionless body belonged to an unconscious Daken before looking up towards the door. Only a few paces into the room Dolph stood with the frying pan she had used to cook the omelets with. He was currently shaking slightly holding onto the frying pan like a lifeline making Bella conclude Dolph hadn't put much thought into actually hitting Daken with it.

"Is he okay?" Chris asked looking like she wanted to go over and poke the motionless mutant sprawled out on the floor.

"He will be." Bella muttered with a sigh. Pushing Madison into the chair with the only untouched plate, Bella stood up downing the rest of her orange juice. "Dolph, could you make a pot of coffee?"

"Of course Ms. Bella." Dolph had easily snapped out of his own shock at the request and set about making the morning coffee and tea.

"Ms. Swan, do you know him?" Giovanni asked peering down at the still form of Daken like he was looking at a piece of dirt under his shoe. Bella wondered if the Italian man had something against mohawks.

"He's my uncle." Bella answered absently as she walked over to the unconscious mutant calmly.

"Oh."

Bella easily hid her amusement at how shocked Giovanni looked. Instead she picked the form of her uncle up and tossed him over her shoulder. He was taller than her and it was a little bit awkward but she easily hauled him out the door of the kitchen.

It didn't take her long to get to a relatively sparse room and find a chair that would probably work to keep Daken from escaping. She idly decided when she got her new training facility to add a chair bolted to the floor with proper restraints in case of incidents like this. Nevertheless she tied Daken to the chair with a combination of duct tape from Madison's room and reinforced metal thread she retrieved from Hiro's rooms during her quest for the chair.

Surveying her work with her hands on her hips, she frowned. Even though she practically cocooned him in duct tape, she doubted that would do any good if he managed to do something to the chair. Weighing her options and trying to calculate where in her schedule he might wake up, she sighed. Doing an about face she went and grabbed two of Giovanni's wolves who had a habit of wandering the hotel for security.

"You two, watch him. If he wakes up just knock him out again, he's pretty durable so don't worry about brain damage. Under no circumstances is he to get free of his confinements until I return later tonight, do I make myself clear?" She asked narrowing her eyes on the two wolves who nodded looking nervous of crossing her. With one single decisive nod, Bella left the two wolves to their new job to head for the kitchen.

"Where did you take the bastard? Did you tie him up and stuff him in the dumpster like we did in Chicago?" Madison asked now seeming to have calmed down some.

Bella smiled at both the memory and the offered cup of hot black coffee. It seemed the hotel had an espresso machine that worked really well. "No, I tied him to a chair and put two guards in place to watch him until I can deal with him later. I've been meaning to have a chat with him. In the meantime, you guys get ready to go sightseeing. Mr. Marino and I still have to go warehouse hunting and will meet up with you at the designated place in time. That's if you still wish to help me scout for a respectable training area?"

"Of course, Ms. Swan. Are you sure we can leave you uncle alone here though?" Giovanni asked curiously but with a smile.

"Just so long as the two wolves follow my instructions he should be fine how he is." Bella waved off the whole incident as it being one of those days. She was almost afraid of what she'd find when she made it to the Coliseum when she got there, but decided to roll with it.

Giovanni and Bella left to go hunting for a decent warehouse; leaving the rest of the group to their own devices until then. At first the warehouses hadn't really been all that much. It again reminded her that in America everything was bigger, even the warehouses. Though eventually she found one with promise, and it looked structurally strong enough that she'd only have to have Hiro add minimal reinforcements. It was also relatively out of sight of any heavy traffic so no one would go out of their way to be curious.

"So is he really your uncle?" Giovanni asked as Bella took down some notes about the specs of the building.

"Genetically yes, he's my father's older half-brother. I don't know if he knows it though, really it was only by chance that I met him." Bella answered as she worked.

"Oh? And what chance was that?"

"He and Mad met when she was in Japan with Hiro. I'm not sure what happened but for some reason they managed to piss him off or something, he's been tracking Mad ever since though." Bella muttered around a pencil as she looked through some of the documents the previous owner provided.

Her Italian had somewhat improved, she could at least read it well enough and could understand if someone spoke it slowly. She was still having trouble actually speaking the language. She was wondering if investing in Rosetta Stone was worth the money, since it was obvious she would still be in the country for a while yet.

"You have a very strange life Ms. Swan." Giovanni said with a sigh. Bella could only smirk as she worked.

Bella watched out of the corner of her eye as the werewolf turned to look at the large room of the warehouse they were in. Suddenly something moved out of the corner of her eye. Carefully she tried to focus on the movement but as she wiped around she only spotted something white and black disappearing around a corner. Frowning she narrowed her eyes and started towards the spot the flash had been.

"Ms. Swan, is everything alright?" Giovanni asked as she moved.

"Shh, I thought I saw something." Bella commanded with a wave of her hand in his direction, signaling for silence.

Narrowing her eyes Bella quickly walked over to the area with Giovanni trailing behind her. She searched the area but found whoever was there was far too good at covering their tracks. She found it odd that she could barely even find a scent out of place. She was surprised instead of the normal smell of vampires; she could faintly smell the scent of a human.

"What is it?" Giovanni asked looking over to Bella who sighed slightly.

"It's nothing important." Bella said shaking her head and turning back to what she was doing.

"Are you sure?" Giovanni asked following Bella back to the paperwork.

"I'm sure for now." Bella said picking up the paperwork and going back to work. She hoped she just hadn't gotten a new stalker or organization out for her blood.

In the end she got the warehouse with the most promise. Despite it being just borderline condemned in a week it would be transformed perfectly for her and her friends' needs. If she was feeling generous she would once again consider letting the werewolves of Rome use it as a practice area as well. At the moment however she was still slightly seething for a lewd comment Giovanni gave her in a form of an Italian compliment. She wondered briefly how she always manages to figure out all the pickup lines of different languages before understanding the more basic comments.

By the time she met up with her group at the Coliseum she was just pleased to see the ancient structure still standing. She was even more pleased to see Madison, Grant, and Chris listening intently to a tour guide giving a tour of the monument. The peace of sightseeing didn't last long however. Soon the group was not only taking pictures, but causing almost mass chaos wherever they went. Bella would later deny she had any involvement in the fiasco of sightseeing, even if she did almost send a man through a wall for groping her butt.

Hours, four police calls, seven near misses, twelve crashes, and two escape attempts later; the group was seated at a nice small family owned restaurant eating dinner.

"So you will write when you get back to the Blue Moon right?" Grant asked as he sat across from Richard at the large banquet table the group was seated at.

"I've always preferred phone calls, but I will keep in touch." Richard said with a grin making Grant and Chris have a small celebration. Richard smiled at the two children and turned instead to Bella who was calmly eating some pasta dish. "So what are you going to do with Daken? That is his name right?"

"That's his name. I'm thinking of introducing him to X-23 and suckering him into helping my cause. He's a curious bastard at heart so it shouldn't be too hard to make him see things my way." Bella said with a grin while Madison looked horrified.

"We're going to keep him? Even after this morning?" Madison seemed to shake slightly as if she was trying not to collapse into a pool of liquid metal.

"What was that this morning anyway senorita?" Dante asked as he looked up from his own meal.

"Well I decided to sleep in, yea? Anyway when I rolled over to check the time he was hovering over my bed with a smirk on his face. It was creepy like as in stalker creepy. So I jumped out of bed and ran to get help. By the way, why did we have omelets and orange juice for breakfast?"

"We didn't have any coffee or tea in the kitchen, so I had to rush to the store to pick some up. While I was away, Ms. Bella made breakfast since I was running a tad bit late." Dolph explained to a curious looking Madison.

"Anyway, I figure if he has no reason to chase you because he stuck helping us, then he won't chase you later. I don't know if it's some sort of twisted game on both of your parts but I'm getting rather tired of it." Bella said with a sigh getting a mild glare from Madison.

"Trust me, if this was a game I'd be laughing more and not screaming in terror." Madison said darkly making a few chuckle at her.

The rest of the meal settled into their normal routine, minus the random explosions and mass chaos since they were in public. There was an almost food fight though when Chris flicked some food at Dante for calling her names. Had it not been for Bella and Ray stepping in, there would have been a food fight, especially with Madison sitting right next to Dante.

The ride to the airport was just as touch and go. Mostly because Chris and Grant latched themselves to Richard dramatically lamenting over how much he would be missed. Bella wasn't sure if the two kids would really miss the British werewolf that much or were just playing, but the smirks the two were trying to suppress told her they were just playing with the poor man. Madison would have joined in but it was obvious the blonde was still shaking over the fact they were going to keep Daken around. Bella was concerned about her friend's reaction but decided that once the shock wore off Madison would find every opportunity to make Daken's life hell.

Once they got to the airport they parked and went to drop Richard off at his gate. Bella only paused to check when X-23's flight would be coming in. Luckily they wouldn't have to wait long since the plane was scheduled to land just before Richard's plane took off. So Bella quickly said goodbye to her good friend and made her way towards the spot they already agreed they'd meet X-23 at. She left the group with Richard hoping they wouldn't get too enthusiastic with their goodbyes; she really didn't need to explain to a foreign nation why a gate at the airport exploded.

As she walked her eyes scanned her surroundings carefully. All day she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched by someone. It was the same feeling she had when being stalked by vampires, she had that feeling since she got to Rome and didn't think it would go away anytime soon. This feeling reminded her vaguely of the days she was actively trying to outrun HYDRA. However, her instincts told her whoever was stalking her didn't have any immediate wish to threaten her, it seemed they were more curious than hostile.

Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw something move just out of her peripheral vision. The faint flash of black and white that seemed to continue to tease her senses all day. Like always when she gave a subtle look in the direction of the flash, nothing was there to suggest anyone was stalking her. Not knowing whether to growl and start tracking down her pursuers or choke back a snarl and go about her business like they weren't there, she settled on just shaking her head and marching on.

When she got to the meeting spot she was happy to see X-23 walking towards it as well, passport in hand. It was obvious from Bella's standpoint Laura had already managed to make it through all the passport checks unscathed. For a second Bella looked over the long straight brown hair, brown eyes, and dark tan skin of her grandfather's female clone. Despite looking like a teenager, Bella could immediately spot all the obvious signs Laura Kinney was a fighter. It was in the way she moved, the way she checked her surroundings, and even the way she stood. Laura was dangerous.

"Hey there!" Bella greeted happily ignoring the danger since really she too could hold her own in a fight. "Glad to see you made it through the checks alright. Andy was worried to high hell something might happen."

Laura had snapped her head in Bella's direction trying to assess if the smart sophisticated looking brunette woman approaching her was a threat, but now relaxed. The younger mutant knew right away Bella was a far more deadly threat than most would consider since the woman could blend so easily into normal society, but really the older brunette wasn't at all a threat to Laura.

"Yes, she expressed her worry before my departure." Laura said with a slight smile, remembering all the social behavior lessons Felix, Andy, and Conrad taught her. "She wishes I call the moment I return to your residence."

"Well it's more like a hotel but that can be arranged. How was the flight over?" Bella said picking up one of the two duffel bags the girl had with her as they walked back to where the van was parked.

"It was sufficient. A rather undisciplined child two rows ahead of me was causing a scene for most of the flight. I also did not enjoy the movie provided. However, I sat next to a well educated man. We spoke avidly of Ancient Egyptians and archeology." Laura said getting a smile from Bella.

"Sounds somewhat like the flights I've taken in the past. Only it's usually Mad that causes the scene and Dolph engaging people in random conversations." Bella said fondly knowing her friends had their quirks.

"I see. Where are the rest of our companions? You said they would be here to greet me when I arrived." Laura said looking around for the other mutants Andy and the others spoke of constantly.

"They're seeing one of our friends off. He's going back to England. They'll be showing up at the van as soon as his plane leaves." Bella said with a grin getting a nod from Laura. "So how'd Seattle treat you?"

Bella and for all accounts her great aunt continued the conversation at the van until the rest of the group came. Madison of course was poking fun at Bella for her quick goodbye and even quicker departure, despite all but bouncing on the cause for Bella's quick leave. Bella tried not to laugh at the slightly horrified look Laura had when faced with an excited friendly Madison. The others greeted Laura in their own ways and for all intents and purposes tried to make the somewhat younger mutant feel at home.

The fact Laura had spent several weeks in the care of the Seattle crew helped her adjust quickly, especially since Dolph and Ray were so polite, Dante was so laid back, and Hiro was such a tech junkie. Bella could also see that Laura had quickly accepted Grant and Chris after meeting them; she suspected the younger mutant had grown to like children after taking care of Conrad's son Hadrian.

When they got back to the hotel, Dolph instantly was helping Laura get settled into her new room. Bella just had to smile as Dolph acted the role of butler and answered all of X-23's questions politely with a friendly smile. The others drifted off again to get ready for more sightseeing on their own the next day. Bella could already hear Madison muttering about the restaurant the blonde had wanted to go to.

Bella on the other hand headed up to her room to change. As she put on her Coyote uniform she went over what she was going to do that night. She had already given all the warehouse specks to Hiro who was already designing a training area for the group. However all day not only had she been stalked by some unknown, she had a distinct impression she was being stalked by some vampires. If she was right those vampires would still be in the area by the time she finished speaking with Daken, after all the greatest fault of every intelligent life form was their curiosity.

By the time she was walking down the hallway towards the room Daken was being held in, Bella had a bounce in her step. She never really liked having to wear a disguise and often opted not to unless it served a vital purpose to her actions at the time. So being able to walk around without the disguise always brought a sense of some joy.

She also tended to envy Daken, Wolverine, and X-23 since they didn't have to go to great lengths to blend in. She often wondered why it seemed her and Sabertooth had more things in common when she was Wolverine's granddaughter. But just like the sadistic humor that seemed to be inherited in the family she figured the strange traits of her family came from Sabertooth and Wolverine's father.

"Bella, where are you going?" A voice cut through her musings. Turning Bella smiled seeing Laura walking towards her.

"To meet and speak with your nephew." Bella said suppressing a grin at the confusion coloring Laura's features.

"Nephew? Ah, yes, Felix told showed me the mutant database he has pulled together. We are listed as family based upon genetics." Laura said getting a nod from Bella.

"You're probably more like Logan's sister rather than his clone. Since Logan has a son, aside from my dad that is, and we have the documentation confirming that, you have a nephew." Bella explained as the two walked down the hall.

"That is sensible. May I meet my nephew?" Laura asked getting a grin from Bella.

"You may, he's this way." Bella said wondering what Laura's reaction would be to seeing Daken duct taped to a chair. With that the two mutants went down the hall in companionable silence, ready to meet one of their relatives.

* * *

YAY! Yes, X-23 is on the scene and Daken looks like he's going to be staying for now. Though Richard has gone back to England, ah well, I might bring him back sometime later. In the mean time I'll write when I can.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes! I'm back! I ran into some family trouble while at a family reunion so yea. I was able to continue writing but I've been cut off from the internet for almost a month. Anyway, thank you to all that have favorited, reviewed, and/or alerted this story.

**Disclaimer**: I still am poor as dirt so I obviously don't own anything profitable in this fic. I would be rich.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Bella hid a smile as she walked up to the door of the room she left Daken in. She couldn't wait to see Laura's reaction and to some extent Daken's reaction to meeting each other. So with that thought in mind she swung the doors open.

"Boys! I'm home!" She announced happily to the two werewolves still guarding her uncle. She was happy to see both werewolves jump slightly and even happier to see Daken awake and glaring. "It's alright you two you can leave."

"Of course ma'am." The two wolves said before leaving the room, happy to finally be off babysitting duty.

As the two wolves left Bella could distinctly hear a muffled shout from Daken. Factoring the recognition in his eyes she figured he realized who she was. Well to some extent.

"Why is he covered in restraints?" Laura asked with a look on her face that wasn't quite shocked and wasn't quite confused. Bella really wished she had thought to bring a camera with her; the look on Laura's face would have been worth it.

"He tried to rape Mad this morning." Bella said calmly as she smirked at Laura. The older woman ignored the muffled shouts and struggling of her male relative in favor of the slight shift of disgust in her female relative's face. Yes, Bella was finding this far too entertaining.

"I do not wish to know the details." Laura finally decided with a slight cringe marring her face.

"Yes well that aside." Bella said turning to Daken who was glaring at her. "Daken I would like you to meet Laura Kinney, otherwise known as X-23. Laura, this is your nephew Daken."

"NANI?"

Bella marveled at how clear that exclamation of shock was coming from the still duct tapped Daken. Thanks to years of being around Hiro she knew instantly that Daken simply asked "what?". Again Bella wished she had a video camera do document this. If anything she would have gotten months of laughs replaying this event several times over.

Biting down a laugh at their expense Bella turned back to Daken. "Yes, I said nephew. I had a DNA test run on you since I've seen a few mutants with similar powers that you have. My friend is doing a study on families and mutations. Anyway your father is her clone so she is your aunt. Suck it up."

"You enjoy cruel and unusual punishment." Laura observed while Daken seemed to try to break his restraints to try and kill Bella. It didn't help the male mutant was also ranting under the layers of duct tape still keeping his mouth shut.

"I'm beginning to think it's inherited." Bella said calmly like there wasn't a dangerous mutant in the room trying to get free to kill her.

"I don't think I have ever enjoyed any such sadistic behavior. There was one incident with Scott but that was simply for revenge purposes. Jean Gray had it coming." Laura said calmly with a slightly pointed look at Bella. The two women noticed that Daken had stopped struggling and looking between the two of them with narrowed eyes. "You haven't told him?"

"Nope." Bella said with a grin. Daken looked hopelessly lost and confused while Laura was sighing to herself.

"You are definitely related to them. You exhibit traits both of them possess." Laura announced as she gave Bella a mild glare.

"I noticed." Bella reassured since she had noticed when she was back in Bayville.

"Are you going to tell him?" Laura asked with a sigh and Bella tilted her head curiously.

"I don't know." Bella said with a grin. "He doesn't even know my name. He does know I'm called Coyote though."

"You will have a lot to explain to him later then." Laura said eyeing Daken once more. "Why is it all the people I'm related to seem so eccentric?"

"I don't really know that either. I can't blame genetics because really that wouldn't make sense." Bella said with a shrug. "It could be due to our rather unconventional upbringings. I know I had a rather strange childhood thanks to my mom."

"That could be true. A laboratory isn't the most conducive to a normal childhood." Laura agreed before turning to Daken. "Did you have a normal childhood?"

"He can't respond outside of a small nod or shake of his head." Bella pointed out and Laura frowned.

"Then I suggest we allow him the ability to at least speak with us. This will go far faster if he was an active participant in our conversation." Laura said going over to the tied up mutant.

"Just don't untie him. I really don't want to be attacked right now." Bella said cheerily not wanting to get potentially bitten by her uncle. He didn't really look like he was in a good mood, despite his obvious growing curiosity.

"Don't tempt me." Laura said calmly and Bella was left wondering if the younger mutant was teasing or if she was being serious. It was hard to tell when it came to the relatively emotionless mutant.

It didn't take long for Laura to quickly get the duct tape off of Daken's mouth and face. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

"We were talking about a lot of things." Bella said absently as she heard the sound of rushing footsteps in the halls outside of the room. Bella wondered if it was important that she would have to intervene or if it was her friends being themselves again. She hoped it was the later, it had already been one of those days and she didn't want it to continue.

"You could start at how we're related." Daken growled narrowing his eyes at her making her smirk.

"Like I said, my friend is doing a study on mutants and family relations. During his course of his study he managed to connect me to a family of mutants through our DNA. They include you, Laura, I, a mutant called Wolverine and another called Sabertooth." Bella explained calmly paying more attention to the footsteps than to Daken.

"I'm related to those two?" Daken asked with a frown.

"You met them?" Laura asked turning to Daken curiously.

"Hai, after she rammed her arm through my lung." Daken said calmly making Laura blink in surprise.

"Do I want to know?" Laura asked turning to Bella who hummed in thought.

"It was nothing, just a reflex." Bella said getting a snort from Daken.

"You have good reflexes." Daken commented just as dully as Bella.

"Thank you, they've saved me more than once." Bella conceded.

"So, how are we all related?" Daken finally asked turning to Laura who smirked ever so slightly.

"I am the clone of Wolverine, born thanks to an experiment called Weapon X. He is a mutant who has survived since before the American Civil War, though he doesn't know that thanks to the same project I was created from. During World War Two he was in the army and stationed in the Pacific. He is your father." Laura said surprising Bella who hadn't heard the girl speak this much yet. "After he left back to the states he had another relation with a woman, leading to the birth of her father, your younger half-brother."

"Since he's my brother, and you're his daughter, that would make you my niece." Daken said turning to Bella who grinned and waved. "How long have you known?"

"Since just after we met the first time." Bella answered with a smirk. "You did bleed a lot and all over one of my favorite outfits."

"You've seen these reports and they're valid?" Daken asked Laura who nodded.

"Her friends are leading experts in genetics and biochemistry, among a few other scientific fields. They don't make mistakes." Laura said getting a sigh from Daken who seemed to be turning all of this over in his head.

"And our relation to Sabertooth?" Daken asked curiously.

"He's Wolverine's half-brother, they have the same father." Laura answered getting a sigh from Daken.

"Our family is messed up." Daken finally concluded getting a chuckle from Bella.

"Yea, we're pretty dysfunctional. Wolverine and Sabertooth don't even know any of this." Bella said with a grin.

"Are you going to tell them?" Daken asked sending a mild glare at Bella.

"Only if I get some entertainment out of it." Bella said ignoring Daken who lunged at her.

"Enough Bella, you have obviously gained far too much amusement from this than is necessary." Laura said making Bella pout only to herself.

"Thank you." Daken said to Laura who nodded before he frowned and turned back to Bella. "What is your name anyway?"

"Isabella Swan but everyone calls me Bella." Bella said with a grin.

"She has several other aliases but that is her real name." Laura confirmed as Daken eyed her with a slight respect.

"You are a very hard woman to keep track of, let alone learn of." Daken conceded with slight tone of respect.

"Thank you, now the introduction is out of the way. I'll untie you but you have to agree to a few things while you're here." Bella said getting a nod from Daken. However the doors behind Bella burst open at that moment.

"Bella! We have a problem!" Ray announced as she came to a sudden halt just beyond the doors.

"What sort of problem?" Bella asked turning to her friend. Again she started to wonder if she should have just crawled back under her covers when she first face planted into the ground that morning.

"HYDRA."

That one word had Bella cursing and turning towards Laura. "Untie him and help out, now!"

"What's HYDRA?" Daken asked as Laura unsheathed her claws to cut through the duct tape and wire keeping the mutant tied to a chair.

"A group of anti-mutant terrorists that want to use mutants as experiments, weapons, and all around a pain in the ass." Bella said as she started out of the door.

"They are also are one of the reasons for my creation." Laura said as she got the last bit of duct tape free from the chair.

"So we can kill them?" Daken asked as he raced to catch up as soon as he was able to, still peeling some duct tape from his body.

"I don't see why not." Bella announced getting a feral grin from Daken.

The sudden quack of an explosion and the screams of men greeted the four mutants as they raced out into the street. Not far down the road Grant stood under one of his kinetic shields throwing charged knives at military men in a familiar uniform. Not far from him also protected by his shield was Chris, throwing cars and other heavy objects at the incoming attackers with her telekinesis.

"What's the plan?" Ray asked as she began to manipulate the plant life around her. A tree suddenly seemed to grow legs and stand from the soil it was plotted in.

"Take them out and not get caught." Bella said her eyes searching out her friends as she took in the scene. She was specifically worried about Dolph who was still injured, inhibiting his usual fighting ability. "Look out for each other if you can."

Getting three affirmatives, Bella took off into the fray. She had friends to protect. She could worry about the logistics of finding a new safe house later. Even later she could worry about how exactly HYDRA had found the group. She would have to be more careful in the future.

* * *

YAY! Daken is now an active player, and he met his family. Bella's being slightly sadistic with her knoweldge but you can't really blame her. Yes HYDRA made an appearance, I haven't forgot them. Yea, things will move along now and sorry it's so short but it felt right to cut it off right here. Anyway I hope this lived up to the wait, I'm off to the next chapter.

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	14. Chapter 14

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yep, here's the next chapter. Thanks for all of you that reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this story.

**Disclaimer**: I only own the things I've come up with.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Bella looked around the devastated street one last time. Her friends, relatives, and the werewolves were already retreating from the scene. Checking to make sure they weren't leaving any one behind Bella turned to leave. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the flash of white and black disappearing into a dark alleyway.

"Bella! Come on!"

Snarling at her most recent stalker she turned to catch up with her friends. They had to get out of there before the local officials showed up. She knew it wouldn't be pretty if she had to deal with foreign officials. She doubted even more if she would get any help from the US Embassy if she had to go there. If anything that would lead her and her friends on a direct confrontation with S.H.I.E.L.D. something she wanted to avoid at all costs. She knew for a fact that group was still displeased with an incident that happened back in Maine involving her group.

The fight with HYDRA had lasted most of the night and Bella was displeased to note that the hotel had suffered some damages. The group had managed to keep HYDRA away from the building for the most part, and even better, they did so with minimal injuries on their part. Though, one werewolf did die protecting the hotel. But for now they wouldn't know the true extent of the damage until they could return, something she didn't think was possible for a few days at least.

Bella however was rather good with contingency plans. She had already set up a temporary shelter for her group inside of Rome before she even went to the city itself. She had set up a small house that was owned by Ricci for this occasion. In the mean time she would have Hiro cover their tracks by making it seem like they quickly separated and fled the country. HYDRA would follow the false trails and be off their backs for a while, leaving them relatively alone, or that was her plan at least. She also learned to value back up plans C through Z as well.

"So we hunker down here until we can go back to the hotel?" Ray asked as the group took in the small two story town house. It was almost on the other side of Rome from where the hotel was, and in a rather beaten up residential area, but it wasn't condemned.

"Yea, there are only three bedrooms though." Bella said as she started to mentally organize who would go where.

"Oh, yea, we're bunking." Madison said as she inched away from Daken to hide behind her best friend.

"Well the girls and kids can share two rooms. The rest of us can split the last bedroom and the living room." Dolph said an arm wrapped around his injured ribs.

"Dolph, hun, let's get some pain killers into you. No matter what the arrangements are, I think you should get the couch. You don't need someone accidently bumping your ribs." Ray said in concern as she led Dolph to the kitchen where a stock of emergency medicine was. Bella swore it was her tiring brain but she thought she caught a glimpse of pink on the catlike mutant's cheeks.

"Okay, if Laura doesn't mind you can bunk with me and Mad. That would reduce the chance of any injuries if you try to stab one of us in our sleep. That way Ray, Chris, and Grant can bunk in the other bed. The beds are king size after all." Bella said and Madison squealed before all but tackling Bella.

"YES! I love that plan!" The blonde said happily making Laura blink.

"You really do not want to be around Daken." Laura said to the blonde who blinked.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Madison asked getting a strange look from Daken.

"I thought you loved me." Daken said getting a glare from the blonde. Bella didn't know whether to throw up her hands or lock the two in the closet. They had some issues they obviously had to work out.

"Don't make me change the sleeping arrangements. Laura and I don't have to bunk with you." Bella said to Madison who looked at her with wide eyes.

"You wouldn't dare. I thought you loved me." Madison said with a frown.

"Only as a sister," Bella said with a sigh. "You boys can work out your arrangements on your own. I need to lie down."

As she walked away she heard Daken drag Laura off. Bella figured he was looking for information still and Laura did know just about as much as Bella did from the Seattle crew. Bella didn't even want to consider how she was going to be explaining vampires to her uncle. Pushing those thoughts from her mind she got ready for bed before crashing on the king size bed.

Not a second after closing her eyes and falling into a deep sleep, she suddenly smelt the distinct scent of forest. Mentally groaning she opened her eyes and looked around at the golden woods she was in. She could still hear the stream off in the distance where she had ran into Alice. Otherwise the woods were the same as they had been.

Running a hand through her hair, she sighed. "Not this, I've had enough excitement for one day. Why won't it stop?"

Not getting an answer she stood up and looked around a bit. Closing her eyes she spun around and picked a direction to start walking in. Stopping from her spin she found herself looking at an area leading deeper into the woods. Deciding it was a good place to start she started off in that direction. As she walked she ignored the thrumming feel of her blood under her skin, and the faint sound of Native American drums off in the distance.

"I don't get why this seems tied to some sort of Native American thing. I know for a fact I'm not an Indian. The only Indians I know are Jacob and his people. So why do I keep hearing those drums?" She asked out loud with a frown. Now that she thought about it, she realized that the drums were probably very important to this whole thing. She could have smacked herself for not thinking of them sooner.

Still contemplating the drums, she walked into a clearing. The sudden silence made her stop just as abruptly as the drums did. Frowning she tilted her head back and forth trying to pick up the drums again. She made a note to try and find the source of those drums while in her dream the next time. They seem to be getting further away now that she thought about it.

It was as she was searching for the sound of drums once more that she spotted something, or rather someone. Someone draped in silver robes just like all the others had been and who was hiding slightly behind a tree.

"Hello Bella." He said edging out from around the tree to look at her through curly light brown hair. With his blue eyes and human complexion he looked almost childlike.

"Jasper." Bella whispered standing on edge for a second, noting how he cringed at her reaction. "Well you guys are supposed to show up when I'm ready to see you, but I didn't think I'd see you or anyone else so soon."

"I didn't expect to show up so soon either." Jasper said relaxing when she relaxed. "You're not angry with me?"

"Why should I be?" Bella asked realizing she didn't in fact feel anger towards him. "I'm tired Jasper. So very tired that it's too much work to be angry at anything."

"I know the feeling." Jasper said with a slight smile and shake of his head. Bella couldn't help but smile in return, remembering that Jasper's power was empathy.

"So I guess we're at an impasse. You want me to be angry but I just don't have the energy to be." Bella said running a hand through her hair.

"I don't want you to be angry. I just want to know you don't condemn me for, what happened before." Jasper said as he took a few cautious steps further into the clearing.

"About that, thank you." Bella smiled at his shocked expression, it was priceless. "Yes, I'm thanking you for your part in that jerk dumping me."

"Um, you're welcome." Jasper said still caught a little flat footed by her reaction.

"Jasper, at the time you were a vampire. I can't fault you for your instinctual response any more than I can fault Grant for accidently blowing up his latest hand held video game." Bella reassured getting a smile from Jasper.

"Well when you put it that way, I suppose I was worrying over nothing. Well not nothing but close to it." Jasper said making Bella laugh slightly.

"I suppose you were. Now that the elephant is out of the room, will it be alright if I ask you at least one thing."

"What's that?" Jasper asked watching as Bella walked over to a root sticking far enough out of the ground for her to sit on. He seemed to hesitate a little as she motioned him to join her as she all but flopped onto her impromptu seat.

"When you were in the civil war, did you ever just want to run away?" Bella asked with a frown and Jasper blinked.

"Once or twice, between battles when I had nothing to do but sit there and think of what might happen when the sun rose." Jasper admitted softly as he sat down next to her.

Bella regarded him calmly, noting his stiff back and the way his fingers twitched as if he was trying not to wring his hands. She could see how his jaw clenched slightly and how he faced straight ahead but still watched her from the corner of his eye. Even his breathes seemed shallow with long pauses in between.

"If I run, will the Volturi follow?" She asked after a few tense minutes of silence.

"Run? You want to run after you've accomplished so much?" He asked his head whipping towards her so quickly she was left to wonder if dead people got whiplash.

"What have I accomplished really? I've nearly completely destroyed a race of supernatural predators. But what good does that do me? Especially since the society I've been destroying has survived for eons before I came along. They've survived in relative peace with the very creatures they hunt and eat." Bella said making Jasper frown at her, but she could see his eyes focused on a spot just past her left shoulder.

"Bella, you're not a mass murder if that's what you think. You are a warrior with an impossible task. If you stop now the Volturi will hunt you, sure, but you still haven't completely wiped out the rest of the vampires like them. What's to say they won't suddenly start a feeding frenzy to swell their numbers than go looking for you and your friends?" Jasper finally said as he refocused on her with a gleam of determination. Reaching out he grabbed her hand in his. "You're tired and stressed. All great generals end up being when their wars stretch years past the estimated time of completion. It's natural for you to want it to end, but end it properly."

"And when it does? What then? Do I go back to the States and try to act as if none of this happened? Do I raise Grant as if we are a normal suburban family, ignoring all this bloodshed? Outside of these dreams the only images I see when I sleep are of burning vampires, some pleading for me to show them mercy as I drag my bloody claws through their flesh. I'm scared." Bella said finally admitting the one thing she never wanted to admit since she first vowed to kill Edward Cullen. The one thing she had been denying since the day she woke up after facing Victoria that dark night on the road between La Push and Forks.

She wasn't expecting she would suddenly find herself being pulled into a strong hug. Had she been she probably would have been able to control her response better, but instead all she found herself doing was returning the hug just as fiercely. Bella was also surprised when she choked on a sob. Sniffling slightly she found she could no longer hold back the tears as soon as the first one fell onto Jasper's shoulder.

"It's alright to be scared Bella. Life is scary. But I'm here, so are your friends, and Charlie, and Alice, and Rosalie, and the others, we're all here. We might not see each other for many years but we'll see each other again. We are all connected, and will always be, never forget that."

Bella just nodded into his shoulder as she held onto him for dear life. She had never felt so small since she was a little girl. But to know he was right there, that he was still whispering reassurances into her hair, helped her calm down slightly. Logically she knew it was impossible for her never to be alone, but she understood what he was saying. She was surprised however that he was the first one to ever utter those words to her. Not even the well-wishers at her father's funeral ever told her that her dad was still with her.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing, just let it all out. You won't be able to protect your friends if you can't first help yourself." Jasper whispered making her draw in a shaky breath.

"Why do you have to be the one to always give me a reason to change?" She asked shakily with a smile. "The first big change was started with a paper cut and a drop of blood. This time it's a hug and a tear."

"I don't know, just do me one favor though." Jasper said as they pulled away and he began to wipe away her tears.

"What's that?" She asked trying to pull herself together once more.

"Try to always be true to your emotions, I've seen far too many people miss out on happiness because they denied themselves the ability to ever feel what it could be like, myself included." Jasper said making her nod.

"I'll do my best to try." Bella said with a small smile. "Maybe, one day I can tell you all about it."

"I can't wait for that conversation. Until then watch your back and be yourself Bella. Even if that means stepping in front of a bullet for your friends, but do be careful about it." Jasper's slight worry made Bella chuckle slightly.

"A bullet has nothing on me, but I will make sure not to worry you too much. I know you still have Alice and she's a full time babysitting job." Bella said getting a chuckle from him as he nodded.

"I'm actually glad your life turned out the way it did. I'm sure it will turn out to be much more interesting than if you stuck around with Edward." Jasper said as Bella finished brushing the last few tear drops from her eyes.

"Just don't start a betting pool on me with Emmett; I was never good for the odds." Bella said getting a grin from him.

"Of course, now go be the leader you have to be." Jasper said as he stood up.

The flash of soft white light was the only indication her dream had ended. As her eyes opened Bella took note she had only been asleep for two hours. Shaking her head she breathed in a shaky breath and went to check to see if the bathroom was open. The sound of the TV on in the living room was a good sign as far as Bella was concerned. She figured her friends had managed to find a show they were all watching peacefully.

Her thought was confirmed when she entered the empty bathroom. Sniffing to herself she turned on the shower and started to get undressed. Once she was sure the temperature was right, she slipped in and under the stream of flowing water. There as the water cascaded down her form she slowly lowered herself to the ground the first tears mingling with the clean shower water.

By the time she was sitting on the tile of the shower she was softly sobbing. Though her sobs were drowned out by the sounds of running water, her body shook with the effort of crying. She cried for her father for the first time in years. She cried for each member of the Cullen family. She cried for every vampire she had ever killed. She cried for each human she ever killed. She cried for her mother. She cried for Grant. She cried for her friends. But surprising she found herself crying most for the Volturi and the enemies she would face in the future.

With each sob that racked her body she knew one thing. She may cry now but those tears wouldn't blind her when she faced her enemies, or potentially seen her friends die in battle. She would have to be strong, and being blinded by emotions wouldn't help her in that. So now while she had the time she poured all her fears, insecurities, and sadness into her sobs.

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YAY! Finally, that day is over. Yes Jasper made an appearance, I hope he came out okay. Anyway, I think I should start on the next chapter.

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	15. Chapter 15

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yep, another chapter. I didn't do much editing but I have read over it, sort of got lazy in the end so sorry if you spot something off. Anyway thanks to all that have alerted, favorited, and/or reviewed.

**Disclaimer**: I still am as poor as dirt, so I can assure you I'm not getting any money from this.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

In her years of travel, Bella honestly could say she woke up in some rather strange situations before. However she had yet to wake up stuck between two women using her as a body pillow. She narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked down at the sleeping forms of Laura and Madison once more. Each mutant was using one of her shoulders as a pillow and sleeping softly as they hugged themselves close to her.

Regardless of the situation she woke up to, Bella knew she had to get up. She couldn't really feel her left arm anymore and she could slowly feel the tingling sensation in her right. Signaling it wouldn't be long before that arm too was numb. So carefully, Bella slid out of the four arms tangled around her, and slipped off the bed.

Luckily today she was out of bed with the floor under her feet rather than under her face. Running a hand through her tangled hair she mentally sighed. The day before had been chaotic to say the least, right down to the surprise attack from HYDRA. She made a mental note to ask Hiro to figure out how that group found them after she had her morning coffee.

As she got ready for the day she made a second note to speak with Daken. She still hadn't laid down the ground rules of her uncle staying with them. She didn't want any discourse to happen because Daken pissed off one of her friends. So she would have to give him a print out of the house rules, something she sent Laura before the teen even stepped foot onto Roman soil. She also had to remember to pencil in a personal rule for him.

Bella snagged the print out as she made her way down to the kitchen. She almost tripped over the last step but otherwise arrived at her destination without incident. When she got there she was promptly handed a mug of hot black coffee and a blueberry muffin. Sighing contently Bella sat down at the breakfast table in the kitchen and set into her normal morning routine.

"Morning Ms. Bella, what are we going to be doing today?" Dolph asked as he continued bustling around the kitchen to get the morning meal prepared.

"Well Hiro will have to cover our tracks, but otherwise we can laze around for at least today. I don't want you to do too much, especially since you aggravated your ribs last night in that fight." Bella said narrowing her eyes over the rim of her cup at Dolph.

Dolph's cat ears fell and he chuckled sheepishly. "It really wasn't anything to worry over Ms. Bella. I just jostled them dodging some of the falling debris. Ms. Ray has just been awfully concerned about my injuries. It doesn't surprise me though. She is second only to you and me when it comes to being a mother hen."

"Regardless, I don't want you straining yourself. That's why we are all going out for lunch today at least, and I'll sucker Dante or Ray into cooking dinner. There is no need for you to straining yourself when you are supposed to be healing." Bella said her eyes hardening even as she saw how indecisive Dolph was about giving up his responsibilities. "Please, it will make me feel better to know all of you are well enough to defend yourselves in case of an emergency. I'm not saying we will forever abandon your excellent cooking. It's just right now you are trying not to wince by just turning. I don't want you to further injure yourself, or worse permanently injuring yourself."

"Very well, you do have a good point." Dolph said with a heavy sigh making Bella smile.

"Hey Dolph, do you know where a pen is?" Bella asked and he raised an eyebrow at her making her roll her eyes. "I'm not going to start taking notes for my latest writing project. I merely have to pencil in another rule for Daken."

Dolph smiled slightly as he went over to a draw and pulled out a pen. "You haven't laid down the ground rules yet?"

"I was a little preoccupied last night with HYDRA attacking. After that, I was too tired to care. So he gets the house rules as soon as he stalks in for breakfast. You haven't seen him have you?"

"Not yet Ms. Bella, though I was informed he enjoys green tea and a rice ball for breakfast." Dolph said watching as Bella wrote down something at the bottom of the page. "What pray tell are you forbidding him to do anyway?"

"He is not allowed to rape, molest, or sexually harass members of our gang. Just like I'm not allowed to flush anyone down the toilet, and you're not allowed to cough up a hairball in anyone's bed. I think the rest of the rules are pretty self explanatory on their own." Bella said smirking as she looked at her complied list of house rules. Truthfully it was just a list of rules they all came up with individually over time for one another.

"Ah yes, Ms. Mad is still sore about that time in San Francisco when she was stuffed into the loo and flushed down to the sewer." Dolph said with a smile as he went back to the stove.

"It was her own damn fault for being a morning person." Bella grumbled as she crossed her arms in a huff.

"That may be the case but I too would not want to tour a city's sewer system in such a manner." Dolph said smile still playing on his lips. Bella rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair, sipping at her still hot coffee.

"Not like you could fit down a toilet anyway." Bella quipped softly not paying much attention to Dolph's silent chuckles.

"Ohayou."

Bella looked up to find a yawning Daken walking in. She smirked as Dolph handed her uncle a cup of green tea and a plate of rice balls. She found it funny that both Daken and Hiro seemed to have the same taste for breakfast, but she supposed it might be a Japanese thing. Once Daken sat down she slid him the list of house rules.

"What is this?"

"That, dear uncle, is the ground rules. If you're staying with us, and I have a feeling you will be, you have to follow them." She said getting a nod from him as he absently scanned the list. She noticed right away when he hit the more bizarre rules on the list.

"No one is allowed to flush members of your gang down the toilet?" Daken asked looking up at her in confusion. She scowled at Dolph who was suddenly descended into hysterical laughter. All the while the catlike mutant was holding his ribs in pain.

"Yea," Bella began in a drawl before turning back to her uncle. "Mad can be a bit overwhelming in the mornings."

"I see." Daken said before going back to scanning the rules. After reading one rule he gave a quick glance at Dolph, who was pulling himself together. "You can actually cough up hairballs?"

"Occasionally I do." Dolph said his pale cheeks instantly turning a light shade of pink. Daken smirked but nodded and returned to the list. Bella noticed the second he hit the last penciled in rule, mostly because her golden eyes were suddenly clashing with dark ones.

"I didn't molest Madison-san." Daken said with a frown and Bella smirked slightly.

"Oh I know. I just want to curve any impulse you might have before the fact. Besides it will give her some piece of mind. It will make her less likely to treat you like the big bag puppy." Bella said her slight smirk turning slightly sly.

"I believe the expression is the big bad wolf." Daken said his eyes narrowing into a glare.

"Yes, but you're name means Mad Dog. That makes you a puppy. So suck it up and stop pouting." Bella said gleefully. She couldn't stop the rather sadistic smirk forming on her lips when he actually did pout slightly.

"I see Ms. Mad and Mr. Daken aren't the only ones with relationship issues." Dolph observed as he flipped an omelet in a pan.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bella asked as both she and Daken turned to raise their eyebrows at Dolph's back.

"I'm just saying despite being related you two aren't very close." Dolph said over his shoulder making Bella roll her eyes.

"Of course we aren't close, it's not like we've spent quality time together." Bella said shaking her head at her friend.

"Then perhaps you should. How about during lunch today? You can bring Ms. Laura with you as well! It would be absolutely lovely." Dolph said seeming excited about the prospect. Bella on the other hand knew it was more along the lines of him happily taking a jab at her for disrupting his normal routine.

"Somehow I doubt the three of us going out to lunch would be lovely." Bella muttered getting an agreeing nod from Daken.

"Hai, we are more than likely going to bond on a battlefield, not over pasta." Daken added before taking a bite of one of his rice balls.

"I'm more of a pizza kind of girl but that's not the point." Bella said shaking her head. "Fine, Laura, Daken and I will go out and eat lunch. But that means you and Ray will go out to eat as well."

"What about Grant and Chris?" Dolph asked getting a wicked smirk from Bella.

"They get to keep Hiro company. They heard about an arcade they want to go to while haunting the Coliseum yesterday. This will give Hiro the perfect time to simply relax and have some fun." Bella decided making Dolph shift slightly.

"And Ms. Mad and Mr. Dante?" Dolph asked looking slightly hopeful.

"Mad's wanted to go to this restaurant she heard about when we were still in Naples. Dante can go just for supervision, besides I'm pretty sure it's a seafood place and he doesn't mind that cuisine." Bella said with a smirk as Dolph seemed to fidget. She could see out the corner of her eye that Daken was interested in the conversation but also was quickly assessing what was going on.

"Hai, it's only fair Bella gets to pick who you get to eat lunch with if you are doing the same for her." Daken said with a smirk of his own.

"Bloody hell! You two are related." Dolph said with a sigh, hanging his head in defeat. Bella figured it was more to hide the growing blush her friend couldn't seem to suppress. She would have to thank Richard for the tidbit of advice he gave her before he left when he called later.

"Senor Dolph it's not even eight in the morning. What are you swearing about?" Dante asked walking in with a frown, sleep filled eyes looking at Dolph curiously.

"Mr. Daken is related to Ms. Bella." Dolph answered handing over a cup of coffee to the Argentinean who looked like he was sleepwalking.

"Oh, I thought you know that." Dante said taking a sip of his coffee. His eyes slowly turned towards Daken, who had fallen into a loud barking laughter. "Morning Senor."

"Ohayou Dante-san." Daken responded with a grin.

"Sometimes I wonder what a psychologist would say if we were in a case study." Bella mused eating the last bit of her blueberry muffin. "By conventional wisdom we're probably all insane."

Dolph sighed in agreement as Dante nearly missed the chair he was trying to sit in. "That or mornings are not our forte."

Bella hummed thoughtfully before turning back to her coffee. She could muse over her friends later. The gods of caffeine were beckoning her to their heavenly embrace. She knew in a few hours all hell would break loose, or something of that nature.

She was right, of course. Things were fine until lunch time hit. Well Madison hadn't shown for breakfast, but Bella figured that was more for the fact her friend was hiding from her uncle. Pushing that observation aside, she mentally sighed for the fourth time since dragging Daken and Laura out to lunch.

"This is insane! Do you even know about attack etiquette? After a surprise attack and a tactical retreat, the targets are to lay low, not go out on tours around the city." Daken said making Bella roll her eyes.

"Yes, that normally happens which is why I don't particularly like doing it. Besides everyone is expecting us to lay low so why don't we do the opposite of what they expect? We gain more advantage for their assumptions." Bella said as she continued to try and figure out if she was reading the map right. She glanced once more at the street sign and then back down at the map.

"I agree with Bella this time. She makes a perfectly sound argument." Laura put in as she paused in her scanning of the crowds bustling around them.

"Thank you Laura, nice to know someone values my intelligence." Bella said glancing at her female companion who looked awfully uncomfortable in the red sundress Ray managed to stuff the teenager into that morning. "Besides, weren't you the one that suggested we go see this reenactment of Roman Gladiators?"

"Hai, but I didn't expect for you to insist that we go out today." Daken muttered getting a nod from Bella.

"Whatever, you heard Dolph this morning. We are supposed to have family bonding time." Bella said as she paid more attention to the map than her uncle.

"Then why did Grant go with Hiro and Chris?" Laura asked with a frown.

"Because he's a video game junky and no amount of fake blood will sway him from his pixel filled fantasies." Bella looked up when her comment was met with silence. She just shrugged at the strange looks her family members were sending her. "What? It's true."

"I wonder if you meant for that to sound perverted or if it just was stated as such." Laura finally said making Bella roll her eyes.

"The only perversion in that statement was how your mind processed it." Bella shot back getting a snort from Daken. "Now I think I figured out the way to the theater. So let's go before the show starts and we have to come up with another plan to fill the time before dinner."

"Oh I can think of many things I'd rather be doing before dinner." Daken muttered getting a raised eyebrow from Laura.

"Like Madison?" Laura asked calmly.

Bella couldn't help but laugh at Daken's shocked face. "Not you too! Kuso! I did not molest her. Why doesn't anyone around here understand that?"

"Because you're a psychopathic hired gun with stalking tendencies and a personality disorder?" Bella offered helpfully getting a glare from Daken.

"Don't make me ruin another of your favorite outfits, meinu." Daken hissed making Bella stop and glare at him.

Laura, sensing the coming fight, sighed. "Now is not the time for petty fights. We are currently solving the dilemma of us going to the theatre."

"But Laura, he called me a bitch." Bella said in a huff.

"He called you a female dog, yes. Leave it where it lays Bella." Laura said getting a chuckle from Daken. Bella pouted as she continued to lead her two blood relatives to the theatre. Luckily she only got switched around once and they made it to the play on time.

Bella wasn't one for sitting around watching plays; that was a fact she learned back in grade school. She could sit through a movie just fine but something about watching actual actors bounce around on stage just seemed wrong to her. It didn't matter if the actors were a bunch of undertrained fifth graders with a flamboyant teacher who loved Shakespeare or trained professionals acting out an interesting story of Rome's gladiators. So while she was waiting for the play to end her eyes began to wander.

She was amused to see Daken slowly drifting off every once in a while before perking up for a fight scene. Laura was stoically watching what was happening on the stage, but Bella could see the growing tactical gleam in her aunt's eyes. Bella could just hear the mutant's mind whirling as it pieced together different battle strategies.

Slowly her eyes wandered from her two companions. Bella scanned the crowd for what seemed to be the twelfth time that hour. The audience was set in darkness for the most part, drawing most people's eyes towards the stage. However Bella's enhanced eyesight could easily discern details in the dim light, even with her contacts in place.

So it wasn't a surprise for her to easily pick up the faint sparkles coming from one of the patrons. Her eyes narrowed as her eyes zeroed in on the man sitting not far from her. Something was tickling the back of her mind, her memory trying to place the vague shape of the hunched over man a few feet away. She could already tell from the distance that he was a vampire; she almost developed a sixth sense for them by now.

She couldn't pin down his scent thanks to the why the theatre was designed, but she knew it would probably be sweet and flowery like most vampires. She also noted he wore a large hooded jacket that covered most of his person, keeping him hidden for the most part. She had only spotted him thanks to the occasional flash of light from the stage, a reflection from one of the prop shields.

Suddenly he turned and her eyes met blood red. She suddenly hissed in a breath as she forced herself not to snarl. It was him.

Felix.

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YAY! Yea, I cut it off there cause well, I don't really know. Anyway, Bella is having family bonding time with her aunt and uncle! Sorry if it isn't much, I was really having trouble with this chapter for some reason. Ah well, hopefully my next one won't be too bad.

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	16. Chapter 16

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Not much to say on this one, just thanks to all that have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed.

**Disclaimer**: I only own the things I've created, the rest belong to people much richer than I probably am.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

She felt the world stop. Her mind told her nothing was moving, nothing was making a sound. Her eyes locked with blood red. The barest of snarls threatening to curl her lips back. She could feel a rumbling growl purring in her chest, waiting to escape from her tight lips.

It was him. That damn bastard.

Felix.

The damned vampire that had been stalking her since she came to Italy.

He was sitting just a few seats and a few rows away from her. She could see the smirk slowly forming on his stiff lips. The way those eyes glinted with mischief and lust.

Everything about him made her muscles tighten. They were just begging for her to spring forward into a fight. She could feel her armor itching under her skin. Her fingers tightened on the arm rests below her hands. Even her teeth ached along her tightly clenched jaw.

She could take him out right now. She was fast enough not to get caught. The room was dark. No one would notice. They weren't even moving. There wasn't any sound.

It would just take two swift moves. Then it would be over. She would be rid of him. Then…

She felt reality snap back into place sharply.

"Calm down Bella-chan." A soft voice purred into her ear.

She blinked.

The world was back. People were laughing at something on the stage. The vampire was still there, but she became aware of the rest of the world.

And she was well aware of the two hands on her arms.

A hand on her left that was distinctly feminine but strong.

A hand on her right that was equally as strong as the other but larger.

"Calm down Bella-chan, don't cause a scene."

She sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a long soft hiss. The two hands pinning her to her chair relaxed just slightly.

"This isn't the place. Later." The soft voice purred once more into her right ear.

A final sigh had her muscles relaxing from the tension singing through them only moments before. Nodding slightly her eyes didn't leave her prey, but she could feel both Daken and Laura relax as well.

And Felix, damn him, was grinning at her from where he sat. That almost predatory grin had her narrowing her eyes into a deadly glare.

"Later." Daken said softly. "He's trying to piss you off."

"I know." Bella hissed back.

"Who is he?" Laura asked finally letting go of Bella's arm when the older brunette leaned back in her seat.

"Felix, he's a vampire." Bella answered absently missing the knowing look her two relatives shared over her head.

"Maa, we wait until the play is over. He can't escape our senses easily, and he'll leave a trail. Just relax for now." Daken said getting a stiff nod from Bella.

"This wouldn't be the same Felix Ray spoke of would it? The same Felix who has been stalking you." Laura asked calmly making Bella's eyebrow twitch slightly in annoyance.

"Yes," Bella responded venomously, "that's him."

"Hn, I am glad Madison-san isn't as vicious as you are then. If this is how you respond to seeing a stalker of yours." Daken said getting a huff of mild amusement from Bella. Suddenly she felt fingers under her chin guiding her face forward towards the stage.

"Now, just concentrate on the play. I doubt he will be going anywhere soon, if he does we can track him down easily." Laura said getting a nod from a pouting Bella. Somehow the older woman couldn't help but think this was going to be torture.

The following minutes were indeed torture for Bella. She had to fight not to fidget, or glance in Felix's direction. To keep her mind off of the vampire being so close yet so far, she thought back on the previous whispered conversation she had with her two relatives. She wondered idly why they didn't seem fazed by the fact she was being stalked by a vampire. She figured since Ray spoke with them about Felix, the green haired witch also told them about vampires. It would explain why Daken at least didn't seem too out of the loop.

However soon the curtain fell and they were finally free. Bella was a little distracted however, when Daken grabbed her arm. She blinked in confusion as she was lead with the crowd out of the theatre.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she dragged Laura with her.

"We are going to go eat dinner, then swing by the house. I know Laura-chan at least won't want to hunt down a vampire in a dress." Daken said with a smirk.

Bella looked over at Laura before sighing. "Can't argue with you on that one."

"Where are we going to eat?" Laura asked with a raised eyebrow as they started down the street.

"There's a fast food joint a block from here." Bella offered getting a smirk from both of her companions.

"Quick and easy, good." Laura said with a nod.

Bella was amused as the three of them swung into a McDonalds of all things. Shaking her head and grabbing some take out; they made their way back towards the house. Surprisingly it was easier to get back to the house than it was to find the theatre. She figured it was mostly due to the fact they had a better idea of where they were going.

They entered an empty house, being the first to return. So they calmly sat down to quickly scarf down their dinners. Once dinner was squared away they went to change out of their civilian clothes. Not that Bella hadn't found it rather hilarious that Daken was walking around in a pair of nice charcoal black slacks. She was still smirking to herself as she quickly tied her wild brown curls into a loose braid as she walked down towards the foyer to meet up with her two relatives.

"I left a note for whomever returns." Laura said getting a nod from Bella.

"Then let's go. The hunt is the fun part." Daken said with a smirk that Bella mirrored. Just like that the three took off out the door.

She reveled in the feel of the wind rushing past her as she ran. There was just something so freeing about this feeling that she couldn't get enough of it. It was part of the reason why she really did love her motorcycle.

Something deep in her gut purred as she ran though. She figured it was some primal satisfaction from not only hunting down her stalker, but from doing it with two of her family members. She was beginning to see her instincts were slowly adjusting to the two other mutants rather quickly. Nevertheless she couldn't help but smirk slightly as they landed silently on the theatre.

They didn't even have to say anything as they began to circle the roof, then the building. Almost as if running on instinct alone they sought out the scent of something that wasn't human among the various smells of the day.

A few minutes of searching, Laura let out a low sharp whistle. Daken and Bella easily converged on the area Laura was standing in. Bella only had to take a deep breath before the sharp recognition flooded her brain. She just turned to her two relatives before nodding an affirmative. Daken nodded before looking towards Laura, then the roof nearby. Laura didn't even blink before easily scaling the building. Bella nodded to Daken who had looked to the other side of the street.

As soon as Bella saw Daken get into position on the other side of the road, they were off.

Bella tracked the scent as she moved through busy streets of Rome. Slowly night began to descend, the sky growing fiery as the sun sunk slowly towards the horizon. Despite the coming darkness, Bella simply let her nose guide her towards her prey.

It didn't take her long to track the scent to an apartment complex. Glancing at both of her relatives, she redirected them to a spot just downwind of the complex.

"It ends there, there's also a few other scents of different vampires." Bella said indicating the apartment complex.

"Hn, so how do we kill these things anyway?" Daken asked getting a raised eyebrow from Bella. "Ray-san only gave us the rundown on what you guys are up to."

"Okay, the easiest way is to decapitate them, or cut them into small pieces. But we have to burn all of the pieces, making sure to leave nothing behind. These fuckers can heal nearly as fast as we can. They're also built like a granite statue." Bella said getting a nod from Daken.

"That's fine, my claws may not be adamantium but they can certainly cut through steel." Daken said with a smirk, his claws briefly extending before retracting slowly.

"We will need an accelerant and an ignition source." Laura said but Bella seemed to think.

"Actually I can teach you a small little spell Ray taught us. It doesn't need too much magic but it can flash fry just about anything." Bella said getting smirks from her relatives.

As the stars finally started to glitter in the clear sky above them, the trio of mutants stalked quietly towards their target. Like a small back of wolves, they circled the building a few times keeping close to the shadows. Then as if given a silent signal they started their attack, slipping in through the open doors and an open window.

The first vampires weren't even given the chance to utter a sound, before they were destroyed with predatory ease. Silently and methodically the trio slowly moved from the bottom floors towards the topmost floor in the apartment complex. Each mutant was on high alert and in full killing mode as they took down each vampire they came across.

As they slowly made their way up towards the higher floors, Bella took a moment to look at the crest in her hand. She had already found a female Volturi vampire in her travel towards the top. The first Volturi crest they ever landed since coming to Rome, not that they've been looking too hard. Calmly she slid those thoughts aside as the cool metal slid smoothly into her jacket pocket.

Bella wondered slightly about the security of the place as she watched Daken slip down a corridor, Laura going down another. Shaking her head, Bella moved another floor above her relatives since the scent of vampires was slowly being choked away by the scent of ash. So she decided her relatives could handle a few vampires on the floor just below the top floor. They at least were well aware not to let themselves get bitten.

So slowly Bella crept down the corridor of the top floor. She was once more following a scent she knew almost too well. She knew Felix was down this corridor, and this time he would not get away from her. But as she neared the door where the scent seemed to linger, she paused as she heard voices from inside.

"Master Aro will wish to hear about this."

"Yes, this is the best thing to have happened since those invisible walls have come up. But are you sure it's linked to that statue we found at the hotel they had been staying at?"

"It makes since to me. Ever since those humans attacked and that statue was damaged we've been able to create a few newborns. Not every bite is successful in creating a newborn but it is a start."

"Very good, now all we have to do is to continue watching _her_ group. If we are lucky we can once more get a look at that statue, perhaps even destroy it. You do know where they managed to disappear to, don't you Felix?"

"Yes, they are living at a small townhouse not far from this area. I'm still surprised you can't track them Demetri."

"Their minds are extensively blocked. I can't even begin to get a tenure of their minds to track them with."

"Heh, well at least I managed to track her down today. If she hadn't passed me with those two new people I wouldn't have figured out where she's staying."

"Focus Felix, I know how much you enjoy your game with her. This however is far more important than you obtaining a new plaything."

"But she is such a beautiful creature, if I had no attention of keeping her, I would give her to you. I know you would be rather taken with her."

"I hardly think that's," suddenly Bella heard the vampire turn towards her position kneeling by the door, "Felix you made sure no one followed you back here correct?"

"Yes Demetri, no one would have managed to follow me home. Why? Do you hear something?"

"Yes, now shut up."

Bella slowly shifted into a better position to attack. She listened carefully to the soft footsteps on the hard floor beyond the door. She managed to gage the height of her soon to be victim by his stride alone.

So when the door was open she was ready. The vampire didn't even stand a chance as suddenly her foot slammed directly into his knee. Though she could practically feel the joint give under the force she used, she was already standing up from her crouch. One hand grabbed the chain with his crest on it, while the other sliced through his neck. A half of a second later his body dissolved into ash by her whispered spell.

Spinning the chain and crest in her claws for a second, she regarded the pile of ash that was once a vampire. Catching the crest in her armored hand, she slipped it into her pocket with the other crest. Then she looked up at the vampire still in the room.

Cold piercing amber brown met shocked blood red as their eyes met.

But slowly that shock dissolved into a hungry lust as a slow smirked grew on the large vampire's face.

"Felix." She hissed coldly as she took a few steps forward into the room. Her movements guarded as she remained on high alert.

"Bella." He purred deeply in his throat still wearing a predatory grin, his eyes gleaming darkly at her. Despite the danger he was in, he didn't so much as twitch.

Bella soon found out why. The door behind her quickly snapped shut, and she felt strong slim arms wrap around her waist and throat. Snarling to herself, she felt her armor fully extend. A glance out of the corner of her eye made her catch bright red eyes.

"Like her? She and her siblings are just a few newborns we have here. It seems your perfect defenses are starting to crumble, my love." Felix said as he slowly paced towards her. She snarled slightly as she struggled to free her arms from the newborn's grasp. "Soon my lords will know of the cracks in your barriers. It will only be a matter of time before we heal from the war you've forced us into."

"You won't, not as long as I'm still alive." Bella snarled her eyes narrowing into a dangerous glare as she flashed her fangs at the vampire before her.

"Now, don't be so noble. If you're a good girl I'll make sure you survive the devastation to come. Master Aro in particular would enjoy having you and your friends under his command. Of course some changes will have to be made." Felix said reaching out to brush some of her brown hair behind her ear. "No matter how beautiful you are as a human you would never survive long among vampires. I guess we will just have to make you and your friends like us."

"Touch them and you'll do more than die." Bella snarled as she felt the newborn tighten her grip. Bella's anger was giving her added power, making it harder for the newborn to keep her under control.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are, especially with such impassioned anger flowing through your hot veins?" Felix whispered to her and she could feel his smirk on his cold breath. "I wonder what your son's eyes will look like once he's a vampire."

Bella felt something snap.

Something deep in her gut broke, and a flood of rage rushed through her. She was washed away in the haze of deadly blood red. She barely was aware of her roar of true unadulterated anger, before her ability to think as a human disappeared into a black mist.

The first thing she became aware of, as the black mist began to lift, was she was sitting in a chair. The next thing she was acutely aware of was the fact that she was chained to said chair. Her groggy mind began to try to piece together what had happened, but it wasn't doing a good job.

She could remember at best flashes of feelings and an acute animalistic conscious taking over her actions. Her instincts had been unleashed so absolutely she could scarcely make sense of the blurry images her mind could barely remember. She did have a sense that she had at least taken out the newborns in the room she had been in.

The next images she could recall were the feel of running. She had been chasing something fast, and everything in her wanted to catch it. To pounce on its fear filled form and tear into it savagely. She was following her senses and dancing gracefully over rooftops towards her fleeing quarry.

Then that's where things seemed to go truly black.

All this thinking also was giving her a headache. Groaning she blinked, trying to focus the world into a clearer image of what she knew. With a small final shake of her head, the world finally came into focus. So with a clear mind and a growing sense of apprehension, she looked up.

She found herself sitting in a simple room that was obviously used for interrogation. She wondered briefly if she had been captured by the local authorities. That was until she realized the local authorities wouldn't chain her so securely to a chair, or tag her with a tranquilizer dart. She could tell since she had become slightly allergic to certain tranquilizers, at most they would simply leave a small patch of red irritated skin near the injection site. In this case she could feel a small patch on her neck near her collarbone was obviously irritated.

Using her chin to rub the spot slightly she wasn't concerned by it. Instead she took the moment to look around the room. There was a table in front of her, with another chair, and beyond that an obvious two way mirror. Other than that the only things in the room were her and the bolted down chair she was sitting in. The only exit she could see, aside from perhaps the mirror just beyond the chair and table, was a simple wooden door off to the side.

"Great, where the fuck am I now?" She asked the air.

Then as if to answer her question, the wooden door opened. She watched two men walk in. The first was a tall man with broad shoulders and dressed in a black suit. He almost reminded Bella of an FBI agent, with his short blonde hair and cool blue eyes. He also was easily twenty years older than Bella by his appearance alone.

The second man wasn't much to look at. He had short dark black hair, dark brown eyes, a medium build, and the dark tan skin Bella associated with Italians. However what was intriguing was how this man dressed. A black mask covered the lower part of his face, and he also wore distinct black and white robes. The robes intrigued Bella more than anything, she swore she saw them from somewhere before, but couldn't quite place them.

Calmly Bella let her eyes track the two men as they moved towards her and the table. She watched as the blonde simply sat down in the chair, but the other man walked passed. She kept one eye on the blonde man as the other finally stopped just past the edge of the mirror and leaned against the wall. She didn't have to be skilled in combat to know these two men could be dangerous. She could see it painted all over the way they walked.

"Hello Ms. Swan," the blonde man began making Bella focus on him once more, "it's a pleasure to meet you. However I think we all would have agreed we would have wished it on more, friendlier terms than this."

"Nah, I think the chains are just fine." Bella said before narrowing her eyes on him. "Though I think you owe me an explanation, Mr.…"

"You may call me Nicholas. Our friend over there is Omerta, he would like to speak with you but he claims your mental barriers are far too strong for him to." The blond man said with a small gesture to the man in robes.

"A psychic?" Bella asked her eyebrows shooting up as she regarded the robed man carefully. "Interesting, now can you please explain just what is going on and who exactly you work for."

"Of course," Nicholas said with a smile, "I work for the Holy See."

"The Holy what?" Bella interrupted in confusion.

"The Pope." Nicholas clarified calmly.

Bella slowly blinked as her mind processed what he just told her.

"What the fucking hell?"

It was official, Bella decided, some higher power loved to mind fuck her at every turn.

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YAY! Poor Bella, I think she's vastly confused at this point. Yea if you see any errors it's because I was getting rather lazy near the end while editing. I know they're probably there somewhere but I won't bother with them. Anyway hope you liked it, and now off to another chapter.

REVIEW!


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Thanks to all of you that have reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this story. Just a note on this chapter: **_This is someone speaking using telepathy._**

**Disclaimer**: I only own my OCs and the plot, oh if you're wondering Nicholas is an OC, Omerta belongs to Marvel (I'm pretty sure).

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Bella sat chained to a chair in front of a man that was claiming to work for the Pope. Never in her life, since first finding out about vampires, had she wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. However if the complete honesty she could practically taste rolling off the man didn't convince her, the slight amusement dancing in the dark eyes of "their friend" did.

"Yes, Ms. Swan, I work for the pope. I am head of the Swiss Guard." Nicholas said as Bella came out of her shock slowly.

"Okay, first, Nicky call me Bella or Coyote. Second, if you work for the Swiss Guard, who does he work for?" Bella said nodding her head in the direction of Omerta.

"Very well Bella, as for Omerta he works for himself. If you lower your shields enough he wishes to speak with you." Nicholas said making Bella narrow her eyes for a second before sighing. It only took a few seconds of concentration for her shields to gently lower. Not long after that a soft respectfully questing presence pressed against her mind, one she let in.

_**Hello Bella, I have been watching you for some time.**_ A warm strong obviously male voice said through her mind.

"Oh, so you're my newest stalker." Bella said with a wry grin. "Do I really want to know why you and the pope want to talk to me of all people?"

"Well it is linked to your mission against the vampires you've been hunting." Nicholas said while Bella leaned back to get comfortable in her chair, or at least as comfortable as she could.

"How so?"

_**For some time my group has been working to dispatch the Volturi. Unfortunately we do not have enough of an edge to pose a significant threat. We have managed to place a spy within their stronghold, a human secretary, who has until recently been providing us with much needed information of both the stronghold and the strength of the vampires.**_ Omerta said getting a nod from Bella.

"What has happened to your spy?" Bella asked curiously. "And what exactly is your group if you don't mind me asking?"

_**Our spy had to leave her post earlier than expected due to the growing anxiety among the Volturi. We have managed to relocate her into a safer location. As for my group, we are an ancient cult you could say, sworn to the protection of Italy our homeland.**_ Omerta said getting a nod from Bella. _**The members of my group have no names, we are Omerta.**_

"Alright now that's squared away, what does the pope want?" Bella asked narrowing her eyes at Nicholas.

"He wants the same as the Omerta, your cooperation in a final strike against the Volturi. I have many connections Bella, and I am well aware that though you just about have the absolute loyalty of the werewolves, you lack well established and connected allies." Nicholas said while Bella tilted her head slightly, calculating eyes piercing his own calm honest ones. "Those of the Vatican with the power to grant alliances know of mutants. It is their hope, as long with his Holiness, that you help us in this. There is a lot more to the Volturi than you are aware."

"And what is it I'm unaware of?" Bella asked curiously though her eyes darted slightly to Omerta for a second before focusing once more on Nicholas.

"Their breed of vampire is different than most others. There are vampires in the world that are more traditional, as in their powers and images coincide with the more traditional folklore. However, those vampires are more or less natural to our world. The Volturi vampires and those like them have a different origin." Nicholas began before his blue eyes flicked over to Omerta.

_**The Volturi vampires are descendants of a vampiric cyborg like creature created by a mutant known only as Apocalypse. Until recently most believed Apocalypse to be dead and gone, as he has not appeared since biblical times. However, lately there have been indications that someone has opened a portal to the realm where he was banished to, in an attempt to resurrect him no doubt.**_ Omerta explained making Bella frown.

"And you wish for us to exterminate any chances that the Volturi and others like them will join forces with their ancient creator should he or a descendant of his enter our earth?" Bella asked getting a nod from both men.

"We would not have gone through such lengths to request your presence if it weren't the case." Nicholas said making Bella look down in thought. She could see where this could prove to be beneficial to her cause but she would have to speak with her friends. Something also was bugging her.

"I understand I will be bringing the soldiers to the table, and Omerta obviously brings the intelligence, what will the Vatican bring to this alliance if it's forged?" Bella asked looking at Nicholas calmly.

"Not only will we be able to have those curious turn a blind eye to what will happen, we can provide much needed resources to your cause. We are willing to give you not only any protective armor of you and your friends choosing but also any sort of fire arm or missiles you may wish for." Nicholas said making Bella's eyebrows raise.

"You can do that?"

"Yes, it is within our power as a sovereign state." Nicholas answered calmly. "You each will have to sign a contract with the Papal State however."

"This contract, can I review the terms and discuss this with my friends? I'm sure there will be a time to negotiate terms." Bella said cautiously getting a smirk from Nicholas.

"Of course," Nicholas said getting an agreeing nod from Bella.

"Now that is out of the way, would either of you mind telling me what I've been up to from just prior to entering that apartment complex to ending up chained to this chair? One of those damn vampires pissed me off enough that I gave into my more feral instincts." Bella said easily suppressing the blush of embarrassment she had for losing control.

_**You along with your associates managed to destroy all the vampires in the complex except for one. He got away when we intercepted you. Normally we wouldn't have minded your rather berserk attitude since you had been in a fight but your path was headed straight for an orphanage. **_Omerta explained getting a sigh from Bella.

"Thanks, I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I hurt any children." Bella said before she frowned. "Would the vampire that got away happen to be a Volturi vampire called Felix?"

_**Yes.**_

"Damn it, this is like the fourth time that bastard got away." Bella hissed before slamming her head on the table in front of her. If she wasn't so annoyed with Felix's escape she would have been amazed she actually managed to hit the table in the first place.

"I take it you and he have met before, then." Nicholas said making Bella look up with a slight glare.

"Yes, he wants to keep me as his pet and I want to shred him to pieces. He always somehow manages to get away every time I manage to corner him. It's highly annoying." Bella said her eyebrow twitching once before sighing. "That aside, mind taking these chains off and giving me this contract you were talking about?"

"Of course." Nicholas said standing up and easily undoing the locks on the chains holding the mutant to the chair.

"Thanks." Bella muttered as the man pulled a document form out of his suit jacket. She just rolled her eyes as she took the papers into her hands and began scanning them. "So can I leave for now? I'll return after going over this with my friends."

"That's fine. I'll have someone show you out. Will you be able to find your way back to your safe house from the Vatican?"

"I'll manage, I always do." Bella said following Nicholas out of the interrogation room.

A few hours later, and only two wrong turns, Bella sat in the living room of their recent safe house. Around her all of her group was now in deep thought as she once again looked over the contract she was given. She had just gotten done recounting everything that happened, from what she heard Felix and his friend talking about to her little detour to the Vatican. Honestly she didn't see anything wrong with working with the Vatican if it accomplished her goals, but she wanted her friends' opinions on the matter.

"What does the contract say?" Daken finally asked as she scanned the words for a fourth time.

"It's a five year contract. The Vatican will provide us immunity in any country we go to so long as we complete whatever mission they throw at us. There's a clause about healthcare, transportation, and boarding. If we accept our fight with the Volturi would be our first mission, one that will have the full backing of the Vatican, Italian government, and the Omerta. We get paid for our successful missions of course, almost like we're hired mercenaries. But it's this clause that's interesting." Bella said pointing to a clause on the third page.

"Why what's it about?" Madison asked as she tried to read over Bella's shoulder. The blonde had calmed down some from her initial emotional turmoil of Daken being part of the group. That didn't stop the blonde haired mutant from sitting as far away from the man as possible though.

"It's an adoption clause," Bella said eyes scanning over the words again. "If the Vatican or a church under their jurisdiction finds or takes in an orphaned mutant, we are given the option to raise them. Our group would function as a sort of halfway home for the mutant until they are of legal age and can take care of themselves. We'd have to train the mutant and provide the basic necessities with an allotted amount of money we'd be given for their care. We also would be responsible for their schooling. Also any mutant that is working with our group has our benefits extended to them during the durations of their stay."

"So basically we will run a mutant orphanage with the support of the Vatican?" Ray asked her eyes lighting up with delight.

"Yes, that seems to be the case. Would you be the leader of this orphanage Ms. Bella?" Dolph asked curiously.

"Anyone of us signed under this contract will have the ability to run an orphanage I suppose. As of right now I'm the official leader of this gang so I'd be the leader of an orphanage. But if we split up for some reason the rights of leadership will extend to you individually." Bella said reading the last section of the contract.

"Hn, is there anything in there about a training facility?" Hiro asked curiously and Bella looked over the pages again.

"Not that I've seen." Bella said with a frown.

"Then we should speak of that when we negotiate our contract." Laura suggested getting a nod from Hiro. "Our powers work best when we have trained them properly."

"All in all it seems pretty standard Senorita. It also does not hinder our freedom in anyway. But I'm curious, is there anything regarding our citizenship?" Dante asked curiously while Bella shrugged.

"Just a small blurb that we will remain citizens of whatever country we currently have citizenships to. We may work for the Vatican but it seems they only want a minimal connection to our group." Bella said getting a nod from Dante. "Here, you guys can dissect it all you want. We can write down what we want to discuss in the upcoming meeting with the Vatican so we will all be on the same page."

Bella got a round of agreements before she passed the contract over to Madison.

"Bella, what are we going to do about the ward matrix?" Ray asked while Madison and Dante looked over the contract.

"The ward what?" Bella asked looking a little confused. She said nothing about the green haired woman rolling her eyes.

"The vampire shields we have in place. If what you say is true than our fight with HYDRA has damaged the statue." Ray said with a sigh making Bella frown.

"Oh yea, that." Bella said her hand rubbing her chin as she thought. "You at least will need to back to the hotel and inspect the damage so we know what we're dealing with. How about after you look at the contract you and I go check it out?"

"Very well, when do we reconvene for our discussion about the contract?" Ray asked motioning towards the document.

"We'll talk about this again tomorrow, possibly before noon. I don't like the timeline we seem to be on and even if we accidently end up being slaves to the Vatican for five years, I'd much rather that than an insane powerful biblical mutant with vampire minions to fight with." Bella said getting a nod from Ray.

"Very well, Mad, dear, can I see that once you are finished?" Ray asked turning to Madison who nodded absently.

"Sure thing Ray, give me a minute." The blonde said distractedly making Bella smirk a bit.

Bella leaned back in her chair as she thought over the last few days' events. Things were really starting to heat up she decided, and they haven't even started to hunt down the Volturi vampires in Rome. Though she figured with Omerta's help that task will become easier. Bella even figured she could get over her aversion of authority figures if the deal was slightly in her favor. One thing was for certain, Bella knew they were running out of time. She could almost taste it in the air.

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YAY! As you can see, this chapter would place this story somewhere between the beginning of the last session and the end of the one before it. Again this is an AU so I get to play with the timeline a bit. Anyway, things are moving along steadily but will pick up as the final fight with the Volturi gets closer. Oh yea, also:

**NOTE**: If you haven't voted on the poll and would like to, you should do so now! The poll will end as Bella's time in Rome ends! Also if you are wondering, there is a sequel to this story! It will feature more of the Xmen and will have less to do with vampires and the occult, I'm pretty sure! I'm also debating if in the next story if it will finally be time for Bella to formally meet Wolverine and Sabertooth. It will also be in that story that the poll comes into play, just to let you know. Thank you for your time.

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	18. Chapter 18

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yea, sorry it's taken so long for me to update. I've been really lazy. I'm also sorry it's kind of short but I couldn't really work out this chap the way I wanted it to. I also had some trouble editing it so there might be a mistake or two. Anyway thanks to all those that have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed.

**Disclaimer**: I only one my OCs and the plot. The new guy on the block Ferrara isn't mine, kudos to anyone who knows where he comes from though. I'll give you a hint, tall dark emotionaless half vampire with his own comic and several movies.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Bella sighed as she leaned against the wall. She had to admit, Giovanni was doing well in restoring his damaged hotel. Bella still felt a pang of shame that the building had been damaged, even if the Alpha werewolf reassured her it wasn't her fault. Hiro still couldn't tell how HYDRA found them, but was working on it.

"So how does it look?" Bella asked to fill the silence hanging between her and Ray.

"I can see a few cracks in the statue alright." Ray said as she ran a pale finger down a hairline fracture in the otherwise pristine statue. "They weakened the spell enough to cause some problems."

"What problems and can you fix them?" Bella asked pushing off of the wall to examine the statue more carefully.

"Well I know for certain they can't leave the cities they're in," Ray said her purple eyes glowing slightly as she connected with the magic around the statue, "but they have gained a fifty-fifty chance of creating new newborns."

"So anyone they bite either dies or becomes a vampire?" Bella asked leaning away from the statue.

"Sort of, the wards work in two ways, the first is stopping them from leaving a perimeter."

"Yea we witnessed that back in Naples when that one vampire ran straight into the barrier." Bella said with a raised eyebrow. She had to admit it was a funny sight to see a vampire run into an invisible wall.

"Yes, but it also influences their eating habits when trapped in the perimeter." Ray said going over to a box they had to leave at the hotel and pulling out an old looking book.

"How so?" Bella asked with a frown.

"The reason they couldn't create more vampires was because once they bite a human their instincts are heightened to drink. This ends up killing their prey rather than given them a chance to turn them." Ray explained getting a nod from Bella.

"You're saying with the cracks in the statue the subtle magic or whatever will potentially give some of them the option of not drinking the people dry." Bella said getting a smile from Ray.

"Yes ma'am, that's exactly what I'm saying. Lucky for us only the oldest of vampires are capable of brushing off the affects, even in the slightest. Also any vampire made in the perimeter will stay in the perimeter." Ray said as she flipped through the book.

"Normally I wouldn't worry but the oldest vampires are the Volturi. The main guard alone is considered some of the oldest and most powerful. That doesn't even begin factor in the three leaders of the Volturi." Bella said with a sigh.

"True but you also have to remember their rules we've learned. Add to the fact none of the Volturi leaders can leave their city the only high risk area will be Volterra." Ray said making Bella frown.

"We should find a way to evacuate that city of all human life. I don't want to add fuel to the already potentially life threatening battle we'll face when we go there." Bella said her eyes loosing focus slightly as she thought of ways to prevent an epic battle.

"We will have to first go to that meeting you set up with the Vatican later today. We've all thoroughly gone over the contract you gave us yesterday and hope negotiations will be swift and decisive." Ray said with a smile.

"Yea, but you aren't the one that has to go to a meeting with the alpha werewolves once we finalize things." Bella said with a sigh. "I don't even have Richard here to help me prepare. I know over the years I've gained individual alliances with some of the more influential packs, but I've never went to a meeting were only the Alphas are present."

"You will do fine. Call up Richard after our meeting with the Vatican and talk it over with him. Besides it will only be a video conference, so unless the alphas intend on coming here personally and hunting you down you should be fine. The only actual werewolves that will be present are going to be Ms. Ricci and Mr. Marino." Ray reassured with a kind smile. She went a step further to place a soft but firm hand on Bella's shoulder when the brunette shot her a disbelieving look.

After a beat of silence Bella sighed, slumping in defeat. "I hate tedious meetings."

"They are only tedious now because we are going into a final stretch of a long war. The werewolves have been our long time allies through all of it. They will understand so long as we do our best to not endanger them or their families." Ray said releasing her hold on Bella's shoulder and turning her attention back to the book in her hands.

Bella stepped away from the statue to once again lean against the wall. Her arms crossed and she felt a frown tugging at her lips. She felt her eyebrows relax into the now familiar tension of frustration, as she closed her eyes. She silently reminded herself that all she really had to do was wipe out the Volturi and she could return to a life free of vampire hunting. But yet again she wondered just how she could accomplish that after her life had changed so much.

"Hey Ray, think after all is said and done we can talk the Vatican into giving us an all expenses paid vacation to Hawaii or something?" Bella asked getting a laugh from her Wiccan friend.

A few hours later, Bella was both parts amused and relieved. The talks with the Vatican were pretty straight forward, simply because of how organized both parties were. The relief of not having to spend days on end finalizing everything however was outweighed by her amusement.

For the most part Bella's group got away with all the things they asked for. Their allies would be given some rights when working with them. The Vatican would help set up a few training facilities they could use in areas they frequented, such as Rome and Seattle. On top of all that, Bella managed to make sure the Vatican wouldn't interfere with werewolf politics while her group was under contract. Although that might change in five years when they had to renegotiate their contract, for now it was enough to put her at ease.

At the end of the meeting Bella and her group got to meet their contacts in the Vatican. Bella had already met Nicholas who would still be their contact so long as he was head of the Swiss Guard. However they also got another contact, one that dealt with the occult and who had a lot of information to share with them about the Volturi.

His name was Enzo Ferrara. Father Ferrara was a priest through and through as far as Bella was concerned. His short dark hair was curly and his brown eyes were hidden behind a pair of round glasses. On his face grew a short beard as well as a mustache, but his skin was pale.

Bella later found out that he was so pale because the man spent most of his time locked away in the Vatican Archives researching supernatural beings and occurrences. It was this man that first found out about Omerta, and he also led to the discovery of Apocalypse. Despite that he was a pretty laid back man who enjoyed nothing more than a good book. Daken didn't like him much but Bella figured it was because the priest was a pacifist at heart.

Aside from meeting Father Ferrara, Bella's group also had to put up with another small technicality. The Vatican gave their group an official name. Bella could care less about the name, but that didn't mean it went over lightly with the others.

"The Chaos Guard of Saint Michael? Really? Is that the best they could come up with?" Madison asked once more as they made their way towards their hide out.

"Look on the bright side. They're letting our symbol be that chaos cross. You know the eight arrowed cross you like so much?" Bella pointed out with a grin.

"Yea, I guess that's a good thing but still." Madison said shoulders slumping with a heavy sigh.

"Senorita we can shorten it so as not to add in San Miguel. It will still be our title but we won't have to say the whole thing." Dante offered getting a frown from Madison.

"The Chaos Guard? Chaos Guard, okay that can work." Madison said with a shrug.

"Either way knowing us we will not refer to ourselves as such anyway. We only rarely refer to each other using our code names unless we are in a high risk area." Hiro said getting an agreeing snort from Bella.

"Daken doesn't even have a codename, he just is." Ray pointed out with a slight smile at Bella's uncle who grinned.

"That aside, Hiro, will you be meeting up with Nicholas later to discuss our training facility we have here?" Bella asked getting a nod from the Japanese man. "Tell him I'm speaking with the werewolves about anything they may need for our attack on the Volturi. I still have to speak with them on our new contract with the Vatican. I'm just glad we worked it out so all allies we have will be protected from them."

"Don't worry Bella-san, thing will work out." Hiro said as Madison bounced into the town house ahead of them. The other's jumped slightly when they heard the blonde mutant squeal in delight.

"RICHARD! YOU'RE BACK!"

* * *

YAY! More technical things out of the way. And Richard the werewolf has returned. He does have a purpose don't worry, I'm not tossing him in there because I miss him. Again sorry it's so short but things will be moving along soon I hope.

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	19. Chapter 19

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Not much to say really. I'm really lazy when it comes to editing lately so expect a few minor mistakes. Anyway, thanks to all who alerted, favorited, and/or reviewed.

**Disclaimer**: I only own my OCs and the plot, everything else belongs to talented people much richer than I am.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

"Richard! You're back!"

Bella's eyes widened as she heard those words. Suddenly a frown chased its way across her face as her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. She stalked up the steps into the townhouse and blinked in surprise.

Sure enough there was the tall werewolf that ran the Blue Moon Pub. She was half tempted to smack the infernal smirk off his face as he looked at her. Well that was until he was bowled over by an excited Madison, Chris, and Grant. She couldn't help the smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth at the sight of the man lying flat on his back under a pile of hyper mutants.

"Yes, I'm back. Now can you please get off of me?" Richard grunted from his spot on the floor.

"Nah-uh, you'll go away again and Bells will do crazy things again, like inviting Him to stay with us." Madison said shaking her head as she held onto the werewolf.

"Him? Him who?" Richard asked managing to sit up slightly since the two younger mutants got off of him. He raised an eyebrow when Bella's smirk grew and the two children began to snicker.

"Him!"

"It's rude to point Madison-san." Daken chastised with a smirk seeing the finger pointed directly at him. Madison didn't look at him, she seemed more content to envelope Richard in a liquid silver hug.

"Yea, come on Mad, you know you love my uncle." Bella teased with a grin.

"Shut it Bells! Dolph should have never told you three to go out on that family bonding excursion. He brainwashed you." Madison said her eyes glaring at her best friend over Richard's shoulder. Bella had to concede it was a creepy picture, especially because most of Madison wasn't solid.

"Daken did not brainwash anyone. He, Bella, and I merely bonded over mutual interests." Laura said her face falling into a calm emotionless mask. "Now, if you do not mind me asking, who are you sir?"

"Richard Lawrence, I'm a werewolf from London England and a good friend of these guys." Richard said motioning the best he could to the assembled mutants.

"I've known him for a few years now. He's helped out a lot when it comes to our alliances with werewolves." Bella offered when Laura turned to her curiously.

"He also helped they needed a place to stay in London, they usually staid at the pub where he lives and works." Daken added with a grin.

"I will refrain from asking how you know that." Laura said making Daken roll his eyes.

"Richard-san what are you doing here though?" Hiro asked curiously.

"And will you like some tea Mr. Richard?" Dolph asked curiously before seeming to think. "On second thought it is almost time for dinner. I should start on that, just call if you need any refreshments."

"Dolph hun, wait up," Ray said following after the muttering redhead, "I'll help you. You're still recovering from your injuries."

"Um, yea, what are you doing here Richard?" Bella asked after watching Ray and Dolph go off towards the kitchen.

"Giovanni spoke with my alpha about what you've been up to lately. They decided to send me back since Giovanni is worried by how stressed you seem to be. He knows you normally didn't handle most of the negotiations between the werewolves on your own." Richard said with a roll of his eyes. "Not that I doubt you'd find it that hard."

"Yea, well I'm glad you're here. You can help me get ready for a meeting later. I have to break it to the werewolves I'm allied with, that I just signed a contract with the Vatican." Bella said with a sigh.

"How did that work out?" Richard asked with a frown.

"It's a bit of a long story. In fact I'll tell it to you now." Bella said before turning to her remaining friends. "Grant you help Hiro with some of the things he's working on. Chris, I want you to help Dante and Omerta locate the vampires in the area. Laura go with them, Ray will have my head if something happens to her."

"Yes ma'am." Laura said while Hiro nodded.

"What about me?" Madison asked peeling herself off of Richard and reforming next to Bella.

"You and Uncle are going to go over everything we will need for the upcoming fight with the Volturi. If we start now we won't have to wait for all the equipment. After Richard and I get back from the conference with the werewolves we'll be able to see where we stand." Bella said getting a horrified look from Madison.

"What!"

"Come on Richard, I have a lot to fill you in on." Bella said grabbing the chuckling werewolf.

"Bells what the hell? You can't do this to me." Madison complained looking at Daken in shock.

"Now isn't the time Mad, just don't kill uncle." Bella called over her shoulder as she led Richard away.

"Oi! I shall seek my revenge! I shall smite you!" Madison called at her back. Bella just waved her friend off while she heard her uncle chuckling at the two of them. Even Richard was sporting a smirk.

One thing Bella liked about Richard was the werewolf knew when to simply sit and listen. It made going over the last few days cake walk. But after telling all of it, it made her wonder just how it all had happened in the span of only three or four days. She blamed whatever higher power that liked to mess with her mind. If things kept up like this she might actually need to go see a psychiatrist. She wondered if Andy knew any good ones that were mutant friendly.

"So after I left that terrorist group that you play cat and mouse with attacked?" Richard asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea, messed up the hotel we were staying at and a cushion grenade cracked the vampire statue linked to those barriers Ray put up. That's why we're staying here and not back there." Bella said sitting down after spending the past hour pacing.

"Okay and only Dolph walked away with semi serious injuries?" At Bella's nod, Richard sighed. "I go away for only a few days and you already end up neck deep in trouble. Your merry band of mutants only a few steps behind enjoying the ride."

"Trust me. Despite how everyone is acting we are not enjoying this in the least. Dolph's acting like a chicken with his head cut off. Dante has resorted to long naps and comic books. Grant hasn't even touched the video games he brought with him. And to top it all off we're trying to fit Laura and Daken into the chaos. I need a vacation." Bella said leaning back into her chair and rubbing her temples.

"Or a stiff drink. Come on." Richard said standing up and offering his hand.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked as she was hoisted onto her feet.

"There's a bar a block away from here. I'll be your liaison for the meeting. All I have to do is say something came up that required your immediate attention, they'll understand. We are still human after all." Richard said with a smile getting a snort from Bella.

"Fine, but what will you tell them about the Vatican?" Bella asked reluctantly following Richard towards the front door.

"Exactly what you've told me. I will need the copy of the contract you signed though." Richard said seeming to ignore Bella's eye roll.

"Just tell them Hiro will fax or email them a copy as soon as he is finished telling the Vatican officials exactly how to design a mutant friendly training facility." Bella said as they started off down the sidewalk.

"Fair enough, is there anything else besides a stiff drink you might want love?" Richard asked with a teasing smirk.

"A day at the spa would be a godsend." Bella answered rolling her shoulder slightly. Despite her best efforts all the stress was finally making her stiff.

"Well I can't promise that, but I can pull off a back message if you'd like." Richard said with a grin.

Bella snorted, her hands clasping her hips as she regarded him with a mock assessing look. "Normally I'd accuse you of trying to feel me up but I know you are too much of a gentleman to be that crass."

"You'd be surprised how far courtesy will get you when dealing with heavily intoxicated bar patrons." Richard said his grin never leaving his face as he regarded her innocently.

"Really now? I didn't know you did that with your customers." Bella said grinning mischievously at Richard's shocked blink. "After all, aren't most of your customers male?"

"Oi, I'll have you know I'm perfectly straight love." Richard said narrowing his eyes at her laugh.

"Keep telling yourself that Richie, I may just believe you in another life." Bella said over her shoulder as she walked in front of the werewolf. She completely missed the amused look on his face as he raised an eyebrow at her back. She however did hear the soft growl.

"Why you," Bella felt strong arms circle around her waist as Richard lunged at her. She could only squeak in surprise as she picked her up and twirled her around.

"Richard! What the hell!" She shrieked in surprise before she felt his fingers tickling her sides. "Stop!"

"For that I don't know if I want to pay for your drinks anymore." Richard said as he continued his onslaught. Though even through her laughs she could hear the faint tone of amusement coloring his words.

It took her a minute to squirm her way out of his reach. "Ha! And what are you going on about, not buying my drinks? I know you will, you love me too damn much."

"Sometimes I question my judgment on that." Richard said with a snort, his gray eyes only sparkling slightly in amusement.

Bella looked at him calmly before rolling her eyes.

Needless to say, Bella managed to avoid the tedious meeting with the alphas. She had gotten a bit too tipsy at the bar and stumbled back to the safe house singing show tunes at the top of her lungs. After some dinner Dolph nearly force fed her, Richard saw to it she made it into bed and not passed out on the floor. She drifted off to the feel of his calloused fingers massaging away several tight knots in muscles of her back.

So the sudden pounding of her head didn't seem too surprising. In fact now that she thought about it, her newest alcohol induced headache actually had its own rhythm. It also came with a group of singers that sounded like they were howling in some ancient language. It also was a lot more soothing than any other headache she had when she was hung over. The only downside to the whole experience was she could distinctly feel a wet leaf stuck to her face, its soft edges made her nose itch.

As she registered the fact that she had a leaf on her face, her thoughts went from zero to sixty in half a second. She knew there were now wet leaves in the townhouse she was staying at. So it wasn't a surprise that her eyes flew open and she sat up abruptly. She could write the occurrence off as a prank from a vengeful Madison, but the damp golden leaf in her lap said otherwise.

She blinked at the leaf for a second before turning her attention to her surroundings. She found herself in her dream forest, the ground glistening with a soft dew. Not only that, but she was in the clearing she had been in with Jasper. Though once again she found herself completely alone, just as she had every other time she found herself in these woods.

Sighing she stood up slowly. Her joints felt like she hadn't moved in years and her body felt like lead. She was wondering about the strange condition of her dream self. Normally she felt so powerful and free, if only a little confused, when she was in this dreamscape. Also the beat of the drums in the distance almost seemed serious for a change, not fast paced and lively. Regardless she took off towards the drumbeats, knowing in her heart she would find something useful where they leading her.

The walk through the woods felt like she was running through molasses. However tiring it was, she was slowly picking up the pace. With each step she began to get a little bit stronger, the weight on her shoulders slowly lifting as she defiantly fought to keep her head up. She knew there was nothing to fear from the woods and everything she came across would be helpful in some way.

So when she reached a stone pavilion in the middle of nowhere she didn't hesitate to use all her strength to walk up the steps. The paralysis she felt disappeared as she entered the pavilion with her head held high, every inch the warrior she had become in the past years. She paused when she saw who was waiting for her. Her eyes narrowed on his form, seated calmly at an almost Victorian styled table and chairs.

He smirked. "Hello Bella, I'm surprised you made it here. I almost thought you'd have to take more than one night to reach this place. But then again, you always had a way of surprising all of us."

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YAY! Oh yes, I left it at a cliffhanger. I don't know something just felt right leaving it there so there you go. Yes I know Bella got out of meeting the alphas but you'll hear about that later. I hope you liked it.

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	20. Chapter 20

**Summary:** It's in the first chapter.

**poorasdirt:** Yea, sorry it took so long getting this chap up. I've said it once I'll say it again, I'm not a Twilight fan at all. My sis also has gotten out of that faze so she hasn't really been bugging me about this fic. So yea, it'll take some time for me to muster up the effort needed to finish this, at least until the whole Volturi thing is out of the way. Then I can focus on the fun part, the X-men. Anyway thanks to all those that have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed this story, you are the ones keeping it alive now.

**Disclaimer:** Been a while so I'll once again say I own nothing and recieve no money for this. I wouldn't be poor as dirt otherwise.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

"Hello Bella, I'm surprised you made it here. I almost thought you'd have to take more than one night to reach this place. But then again, you always had a way of surprising all of us." He lowered a delicately painted china cup onto its matching dish. The porcelain clinked as he set the cup and saucer down onto the glass tabletop of the table.

"Hello Carlisle, why do you say that?" Bella asked her eyes still narrowed, her chin raised slightly in predatory confidence.

Carlisle smiled openly as he motioned to the seat across from him. His warm dark brown eyes glittered welcomingly. "I didn't think you would have the strength to push yourself here. I didn't make it as easy as the others for you to get here after all."

"So you're the reason it felt like I was as old as dirt and as heavy as a chunk of metal?" Bella asked striding confidently over and sliding onto the metal chair.

"Yes, we can affect how we present ourselves to you, well to an extent." Carlisle said regarding her over his threaded fingers as his elbows rested on the tabletop. "I wanted you to want to come speak with me."

"I didn't know you were the one I was coming to see." Bella said getting a soft chuckle from him.

"That may be the case but you knew someone was at the end of your journey here," Carlisle said calmly. Bella regarded him stoically since there was no denying she knew what would happen when she finally reached her destination. Carlisle smiled as he regarded her with a critical eye. Finally he spoke. "You have come a long way from the girl that first came to Forks."

Bella snorted before saying, "I know, life challenges you no matter what you do."

"True, but you've become stronger from the challenges you've faced. You're strength only enhances your beauty." Carlisle said getting a raised eyebrow from Bella. "It's for that reason Felix is so fascinated by you."

"Don't remind me, I still find myself itching to shred something whenever he's mentioned." Bella said getting a soft laugh from the good doctor.

"With that kind of determination I have no doubt you will survive your fight with the Volturi." Carlisle said with a grin. "But you still have a lot to learn about life and the world."

"Probably, but I'm still young. I like to focus on one major problem at a time. Too much clutter in my life only stresses me out." Bella said getting a warm smile in response. She hesitated for a second before sighing. "Can you tell me about the Volturi, Carlisle?"

"You mean things that you don't already know?" Carlisle asked getting a nod from Bella.

She paused for a second before putting her hands on the tabletop and clasping her fingers together. She fidgeted for a second before letting out a heavy sigh. Once she collected herself enough she said, "I…there are things only vampires would know about them. Things that could mean the life of my friends and I refuse to put them in a situation that I don't have some control over. I nearly lost Dolph because I was unprepared and the ones attacking us were just human. If I made a mistake, even the slightest, with a vampire the results would be drastically different."

Carlisle had taken to sipping his tea while he watched her speak. She looked him dead in the eye but she desperately wanted to focus on the china tea set between them on the table. The cold delicate porcelain glittered happily at the edge of her vision, inviting her gaze with friendly openness. She resisted temptation however, instead forcing herself to focus on the warm wisdom facing her across the table.

"I see why you've earned so much respect," Carlisle said after a beat of silence. His lips curved into a proud fatherly smile. "Edward was a fool to hurt you the way he did. He never did see the potential you had, the strength of emotion you carry."

"It's a burden." Bella said eyes darting down to examine the delicate lines of color decorating the tea set.

"But it isn't a weakness." Carlisle countered warmly. "Your burden is your strength."

"Why are you here? If not to help me with my obvious problem with the Volturi, what do you want?" Bella asked getting a chuckle from Carlisle.

"Oh, I will tell you what you need to know about the Volturi. I just hope you accept all of your strengths by the end of this." Carlisle said getting a slight glare from Bella. "You are a mutant, but you can feel. Even your grandfather's clone feels things. She has not had the experiences necessary to decipher what those feelings mean. You can't block everything out Bella, it's not healthy."

Bella snorted slightly before leaning back into her chair with an inaudible sigh. She didn't understand the Cullen's fascination with getting her to feel something. She did however listen to what they had to say. Carlisle in this case had a lot to tell her.

He calmly went into detail about the leaders of the Volturi. She was slightly amused to know of Caius' fear of werewolves. She also was surprise to learn of Marcus' mate and her demise on orders of her own brother. However he went deeper than that. The corner stone of the Volturi, she found out, was the true leader.

Aro.

This man was the first. He was the first creature to be created. He was the reason for so many destroyed lives. He had bitten his own sister, than in his hunger started a race of bloodsucking nearly indestructible vampires.

"He was an experiment at best." Carlisle explained calmly between sips of his tea. "He was a general of Apocalypse at first. He was a powerful cunning man whose merit was earned on the battlefield. For an era with only a handful of mutants at best, all of whom were hailed as gods or demons. He was interesting enough for a powerful mutant to take notice. I'm not exactly sure how or why but he eventually earned an award from his lord."

"What award was that?" Bella asked when Carlisle drifted off into silence for a few moments.

"He was given a wish. He could have anything he had wanted." Carlisle said making Bella frown.

"I doubt he chose vampirism." Bella said with a snort.

"No he didn't." Carlisle agreed with a smirk. "His wish was to become one of Apocalypse's greatest generals, no matter the cost. I never understood his loyalty to his long gone lord, but even while I was a guest to them he still harbored an undying loyalty for the mutant."

"When you gain someone's trust and respect so thoroughly they will do anything you want, you have their undying loyalty. No doubt in a pre-modern world that was so segregated by distance that was even more so true. One could never tell when an approaching army would defeat your people because you couldn't gage the strength of your enemy."

"Perhaps you're right. Even when I was human a letter could travel faster than it could when Aro was human." Carlisle said with a nod.

"So Apocalypse, I've heard a few whispers of the mutant. I've also heard that someone is trying to bring him back." Bella said leaning back in her seat.

"Well if he is brought back he will have an army of powerful undead at his disposal." Carlisle said making Bella snort.

"Not if I can help it. Even now vampire numbers are lower than they have been in decades. All the vampires we hadn't killed had fled here to Italy seeking protection from the Volturi. Only a handful or two went elsewhere. Now they are trapped, they have nowhere else to go." Bella said getting a nod from Carlisle.

"I commend you for your actions. You planned all along to corner most of the population didn't you?" He said smirking over his tea cup.

"It was a general plan, yes." Bella said with a nod. "But things are a little shaky at best. That is one of the reasons why I wanted to ally myself with the Vatican… for now."

"You're codename is rather accurate than. In some Native American cultures coyotes are well known tricksters." Carlisle said with a chuckle.

"Speaking of Native American, do you know what is up with those drums?" Bella asked motioning to the woods just outside of the pavilion they sat in.

"It is a powerful spell brought on by a wish. I am not sure who but a friend of yours wanted to help you. This is tied to something more powerful than you and I, Bella, something much older. Don't question it, just go with the chance this is offering you and hope for the best." Carlisle said getting a nod from Bella who was still frowning.

"I have met four of your children and you already. I only have two more people to meet." Bella said getting a nod from Carlisle.

"You will meet who you have to when you have to. For now don't worry too much on it. Like you said, too many problems only stress you out." Carlisle said getting a huff from Bella.

"I am beginning to tire of you using my own words against me." Bella decided getting a smile from Carlisle.

"But they are true nonetheless." Carlisle said making Bella roll her eyes.

"Whatever, next thing you'll do, is go all philosophical on my like Mad does from time to time. I often wonder if she is a genius or an insightful idiot." Bella said one of her fingers gently tracing the lines of the teacup in front of her. "Is there anything else you can tell me aside from follow my heart?"

"Yes, watch your back." Carlisle said getting a sigh from Bella.

"Sometimes I wonder why I bother." Bella said closing her eyes at the rich warm laugh of the good doctor. Slowly she heard his laughter fade away, eliciting a soft sigh from her.

As her eyes opened again she became aware of a sharp pain behind her temples. Groaning she closed her eyes quickly with a snarl. Now she knew the pounding in her head wasn't dream drums. She had a massive hang over. With a pitiful moan she slipped her head under her pillow.

She must have drunk a lot the day before. She could vaguely remember downing shots, but couldn't quite remember the number she stopped at. Nevertheless she slipped out from under her pillow to sit up. She was at least somewhat pleased to see she had most of her clothes on.

Pulling herself out of bed she headed for the bathroom. Her first order of business was to use the toilet, and then she could happily play Aspirin Russian Roulette. She nearly threw back half a bottle before deciding she should put something other than painkillers into her stomach.

Getting dressed her mind wandered back to her dream and Carlisle. He gave her a lot of useful information that she had to mentally sort through. Once again she wondered if she couldn't get Ray's help in figuring out just how her dreams worked.

Yawning she looked around as her feet hit the last step on the stairs. She hadn't seen anyone around just yet, and that could be a bad sign. She hoped they were busy working and not causing chaos. The last thing she needed was trying to explain to a pissed off werewolf why exactly their townhouse is flattened. Some days it wasn't worth it to be a mutant.

She made it all the way to the hall outside the kitchen before seeing anyone. The fact she found a mischievously grinning Mad, a disinterested looking Laura, and two very pleased children peering into the kitchen from the door only made her nervous. She hoped the kitchen was intact and Dolph wouldn't be on her case about fixing the battle scarred room.

"What is going on here?" She finally ventured with a sigh.

"Shh Bells, it's almost getting to the good part."

"What good part Mad?" Bella asked with a frown as she walked closer to peer into the kitchen.

In the kitchen caught up in their own little world, Dolph and Ray stood. Bella wondered what was going on as she saw the poor Englishman blushing up a storm and stuttering. Ray was standing just opposite the stuttering man, a coy but gentle smile on her pale lips. Even hung over it only took Bella a few seconds to understand what was going on. Sighing, the brunette decided she didn't care at the moment.

"Bells what are you doing? Get back here." Madison whispered harshly as Bella calmly entered the kitchen making a b-line straight for the refrigerator.

Bella made it all the way to the coveted kitchen appliance before she was spotted. Dolph looked almost as red as his hair while Ray looked just a little bit put out. Nevertheless Bella rolled her eyes and fished out something edible from the fridge. She wrinkled her nose as the first potential meal happened to be left over pineapple pizza.

"Just kiss the girl already and put yourself out of your misery, Dolph. She's practically begging you with her eyes." Bella said shoving the pizza back into the fridge where it belonged. She wasn't about to stomach cold pizza, let alone pineapple flavored cold pizza.

"Excuse me," Dolph said after a few minutes of wordlessly gaping.

"Would you like I send you on a date instead?" Bella said glancing over her shoulder just as she lifted some lunch meat from the shelf on the door. "Go ahead. Mad's practically pacing with anticipation."

Bella smirked as the two other mutants in the room turned to the door. Mad's eyes were wide and her mouth was hanging open, obviously the blonde hadn't expected Bella to give her away. The fact Laura was now smirking at Mad and the kids only added to the hilarity of the picture.

"Bells! How could you?"

"How could I what? You know spying on fellow roommates can be potentially life threatening. Do I have to remind you about that incident with Hiro and the shower?" Bella said with a smirk as she closed the fridge door having also fished out some lettuce, tomatoes, the mayo, and a few other sandwich foods.

"What incident with Hiro and the shower?" Laura said looking confused but it got Madison to turn almost as red as Dolph.

"It's nothing really." Madison said shifting from foot to foot.

"No, it's really funny. See before our group split up to go hunting vampires, tante Mad woke up early one morning," Grant said with a grin only to pause at the look Madison gave him. "And follow me tante, I'll tell you more away from the psycho."

Grant grabbed Laura's hand and began dragging the young woman off down the hall.

"Wait for me!"

Chris took off running to catch up with the fleeing mutants.

"Bertram Guerrant Leroux Swan! Get back here this instant!"

Madison sprinted off as well making Bella snort. "So, are you going to kiss her now?"

"Ms. Bella, would you please stop telling me to kiss her." Dolph said his cat ears pressed against his head and his skin still as red as a tomato.

"If you would like I'll go get some mistletoe I have stashed in my suitcase from last Christmas. We can say it's an early Christmas present." Bella said as she started to create what was in her opinion the world's best turkey sandwich.

Bella looked over her shoulder to see Dolph rolling his eyes at her. However, Ray seemed to have had enough of waiting. The green haired mutant gently grabbed the red head by the front of his shirt and pulled him in her direction. Bella turned back to making her sandwich with a smile on her face just before the two actually kissed. Really, she didn't think her stomach could handle seeing such a lovey-dovey sight without her throwing up the aspirin she took earlier.

Needless to say the brunette quickly slapped together her sandwich and left. Dolph would be a bit pissed off with the mess she left, but she hoped he would forgive her. The new couple needed their alone time anyway. Instead Bella sauntered into the living room and plopped herself down on the couch, right next to Richard.

"So how are things going? Our furry friends dissecting the contract I made with the Vatican?" Bella said before biting into her sandwich.

"They are complicated if that's what you want to hear. Yes, they are looking over the contract with a fine tooth comb as you would say." Richard said with a snort as he glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"You wouldn't happen to know where Dante, Hiro, and Daken wandered off to would you." Bella said peering at the papers strewn over the coffee table.

"Hiro and Daken went to see the training area the Vatican is building for you guys. Dante I think is still asleep." Richard said getting a nod from Bella.

"Probably, lazy oaf can spend all day working hard on a ranch all day but once it comes to paperwork he'd rather sleep." Bella said with a fond smile and a roll of her eyes. "Let me guess, Kent watching the pub until you get back?"

"Of course, he's done a fine job at it as well. I recently decided to leave the place to him in my will." Richard said making Bella raise an eyebrow.

"Your will? Richard, why are you thinking about things like a will?" Bella said a frown on her face.

"My alpha and the alphas here in Italy believe I should stay with your group until the Volturi are defeated. They kindly asked that I be the werewolf representative for any dealings you have with the Vatican and this shadow group, the Omerta." Richard said making Bella's eyes narrow slightly as she gave him an assessing look.

"I don't know if I like that idea." Bella said slowly her eyebrows furrowing. "I mean, it's not like I'm going to drag you into the big fight with the Volturi."

"Bella, do you honestly think I'd stand by and watch you risk it all in a fight to the death?" Richard said his features stern as he looked at her pointedly.

"Well," Bella said as she tried to think of all the reasons for Richard to stay out of danger. Unfortunately her mind seemed to be drawing a blank simply because she knew he'd be there fighting. Almost like she had known her father wouldn't have left those campers at the mercy of that armed psycho all those years ago.

"You can't control everything Bella. I will fight by your side in the upcoming war. You are my friend and have done too much to shoulder this alone with only your handful of mutant friends to watch your back." Richard said still looking straight into her eyes, but she could see his fingers twitch ever so slightly just in the corner of her gaze.

"I don't want you to be in danger." She said finally as she fought to stop her jaw from clenching.

"Danger is just a part of being a werewolf. Just like danger is just a part of being a mutant. Normal people don't understand us for what we are and that leads to many horrible things. It is no different with any other race of supernatural beings. These vampires fear us."

"Richard, are you sure you want to fight with us?" Bella said after a few beats of silence.

"Why wouldn't I be preparing for it?" Richard said with an amused look but Bella just frowned. "Relax. I do know how to fight Bella. I also know what these guys are capable of, just like I know what you are capable of."

Richard then turned back to the papers when it seemed they would fall into silence again. Bella huffed to herself taking a bite of her sandwich. "I don't believe that. I don't even know what I'm truly capable of."

"Why not?" Richard said turning to her once more.

"I never explored what I can fully do. I've been to scared to." Bella said her shoulders slumping at the admission.

"Oh?"

"Shut up, you'd be scared too if sometimes you realize you feel like a wild animal inside and there was little to nothing you can logically do to control it." Bella said focusing on her sandwich instead of the curious male next to her. "It's happened only a few times. I can't remember anything besides a few impressions. It's like I no longer exist and the only thing I'm capable of is what I instinctively feel."

"Have you spoken to any other mutant about this? Maybe it's just something mutants like you go through?"

"Most of the others I know aren't feral like I am. Dolph, sure, but he's so submissive Ray had practically force him to kiss her." Bella said with a snort looking down at the last few bites of her sandwich with a small fond smile. "The only other feral like mutants I know are my family. Daken might know what I'm talking about but I'm a little wary of the advice he'd give me. Laura's too socially retarded I don't know if she even realizes the difference between feral instincts and human behavior."

"Surely they aren't the only feral mutants you know."

"Well there is my grandpa Logan, but he doesn't even know I exist. From what I've dug up the guy lost his memories and doesn't even know he had children let alone two sons. Then there's grandpa's half brother Victor Creed, who reminds me of Daken and Laura combined into one hulking mass of kitten."

Bella felt a strong arm wrap around her shoulders protectively. "What's stopping you from introducing yourself to your grandfather and asking him your questions?"

"What if he doesn't like me? I mean, I know I'm not as bizarre as say Madison. But he's met at least Laura and probably Daken, if he found out he's related to them what will he think of me? I'm just a small town girl from Arizona. I had to practically hold mom's hand until she got remarried just so she wouldn't do something stupid. Then when I finally begin to reconnect with my dad, he dies." Bella said ignoring the tears welling up in her eyes. "What's worse is I'm not fighting vampires, working for the Vatican, and my greatest allies outside a few trusted mutants are werewolves. I don't know about you but that sure sounds crazy to me."

"He'd probably think you are a very brave and caring individual who's probably the most normal of your family members. You didn't ask to be thrust into this, but you are doing your best to pick up the pieces as you go." Richard said as Bella felt his arm tighten around her. However she couldn't take it and stood up to pace.

"That's it though! I did ask for this. I asked for it the day I agreed to go out with Edward Cullen. I asked for it even as Alice was already coming up with plans for our wedding. I asked for it the minute I thought I loved him." Bella said a snarl on her lips but froze suddenly. Her eyes widened as she whipped around to look at the stunned werewolf sitting on the couch.

There are times in her life Bella honestly thought the world would come crashing down around her. This was one of those moments. She had done her best for so long to keep things together, to keep her focus on what needed to be done. Yet, at this very moment as her vision began to blur she wondered if all this time she even was doing the right thing. She wondered if she honestly got lost on her road to revenge.

"Did you love him?"

She couldn't help the slightly choked sob that was supposed to be a laugh. "I don't know. I honestly don't know anymore. I was so young, so stupid back then."

Images from all those years ago began to play in her head like an old black and white move. She could see the first time she met the Cullen family. The time Edward brought her to that meadow. The time the Cullen family as a whole saved her from James.

The memories were there but she couldn't remember why she had done it. She had felt. Lord above she knew she had felt it all. From the darkest depths of fear to the brightest heights of elation, all those emotion were there. But for the life of her she couldn't remember how she felt about Edward. It was something not even Madison could help her figure out.

Had she truly loved Edward?

After all these years and after all she had seen, she couldn't help but be disappointed. She had felt a lot when she was around the Cullen family, but love was elusive. Not even Carlisle with his fatherly gentle attitude made her feel in some way truly welcomed or loved.

In her lifetime she realized she had only felt love from one person. Oh, her mom loved her in her own distant way, but Bella had spent too much time being the parent of that relationship to be the daughter. No, her father in the end was the closest she had come to feeling like she was loved. She had finally felt like she had a place in the world, as Charlie's daughter.

So had she truly loved Edward?

No. She hadn't loved him really, truly, utterly. She could have replaced him in a second if only he wasn't the first guy in Forks to have an interest in her other than being the new kid. God, she was such a pathetic little girl back then.

Bella sniffled slightly coming back to reality. She wondered when she started to cry. Then again, she also wondered when she ended up on her knees, hugging herself like her life depended on it. How much time had passed since her outburst? And why was Richard hugging her?

"Are you feeling better?" He said his breath ghosting over the top of her hair. She sniffled a bit in response.

"Yea, I think I am." She said finally despite not fully recovering from the fit of tears she was in.

"Relax, I got you."

She did relax then. She practically melted into his strong embrace, still sniffling up a storm. Even as she turned slightly to bury her face into her chest she couldn't help but think one thing. She still was a pathetic little girl, at least on the inside. How was she going to lead an army into battle if she couldn't get over something that happened to her in high school?

She had a sinking feeling things would end up going horribly wrong if she didn't get her act together and soon.

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YAY! I'm almost to the end. I still got some more to do though. Yes Bella's dealing with her issues and we finally get to see who Dolph's been crushing on. I hope this lived up to everyone's expectations, especially since I haven't been motivated much to write anything. Anyway, until I muster enough motivation for the next one.

REVIEW!


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes, I have managed to pound out another chapter. Not much to say but things will pick up a bit. Sorry if the next few chapters seem a little be rushed. Just the way it's going to be I suppose. Anyway thanks to all of you who alerted, reviewed, and/or favorited.

**Dislcaimer**: Still poor as dirt so nope, I'm definitely not getting paid for this.

**Enjoy!**

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Bella woke up in her bed. She blinked before sighing. She remembered crying herself to sleep in Richard's arms. Surprisingly her friends had made themselves scarce, but then again they all were pretty busy.

"Feeling better?"

She jumped and turned to see the tall gray eyed werewolf standing in the doorway of her room. She blinked a few times before just staring at him. Honestly she did feel better. It felt good to tell someone everything that had been bothering her. She would have told Madison but sometimes she just needed someone to listen. Then again Madison already knew all this.

"A bit yea," Bella said with a sigh. "Sorry about crying all over you."

"It was nothing. I'm surprised you hadn't snapped before this." Richard said with a chuckle as he walked over and sat down on her bed.

"Oh I've snapped a few times. I just never truly broke down and admitted to myself my deepest darkest secrets." Bella said leaning against the werewolf's strong frame.

"Deepest darkest secrets?"

"I never did love Edward. I realize that now. I let my selfish anger dictate what I did, it only got worse after I woke my powers." Bella said taking comfort in the arm that wrapped around her shoulders. "I liked the idea of Edward though. I never really had a boyfriend before since I was so obligated to taking care of my mother. I couldn't let myself be a normal teenager when my mom was out doing something that made me afraid."

"Ah fear, the root of all evil." Richard said with a chuckle making her snort.

"I thought the root of all evil was greed."

"That too, but fear can bring out the worst in us. When we fear something we can forget who we are and what we stand for. People destroy many beautiful things when they are afraid."

"You're starting to sound like Mad. Are you sure you two aren't conspiring against me?"

"Whoever said we were?"

"No one, but you are sounding like it." Bella said before taking a deep breath and letting it go. Cautiously she looked up into his gray eyes noting the lingering amusement in them. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what Bella?"

"This…holding me…comforting me…why?"

"You're a very strong person, but even strong people need someone to lean on. I can tell you don't want to show these weaknesses to your friends because you are afraid of what they will think. That's fine. But you need to deal with these fears all the same." Richard said looking at her with a serious and sharp look in his eyes. "Even the alphas of werewolf packs have someone to lean on."

Bella wasn't sure but she felt something shift in their conversation. There was something there, something he was trying to tell her that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Then suddenly it hit her like a brick between the eyes. In the past few months, perhaps even a year or two, Richard had slowly warmed up to her like this. It was in the small gestures she realized, the subtle glances they shared, the smiles she received from him.

The realization was so profound she pulled away from him with wide eyes. "You!"

"Finally put it together huh?" He said with a rather weak smile his eyes soft and dare she say affectionate. "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever realize, but now I see you had a lot of things running through that brilliant mind of yours."

Bella just continued to gape at him. He stared at her with a calm acceptance letting the silence settle between them. Snapping her mouth shut she knew the ball was now in her court. Whatever she did next would either horribly ruin the friendly relationship they did have, or cause something entirely different. It was something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"I don't think you know exactly what you're getting into, Richard." She said finally getting a soft chuckle from him.

"No, I think I've been slowly getting quite a good picture of what I'm getting into." He said making her eyes narrow at him.

"And what does that mean?"

"You are a strong independent and caring woman who's used to having to taking full responsibility of others. You also are extremely afraid of being abandoned since the few times in your life that you thought you had stability you found yourself with the rug pulled out from under you. What you need is someone who can watch your back and someone to lean on." Richard said making her clench her teeth together in her shut mouth.

"And you think you can give me what I need huh?" Bella said glaring at him accusingly.

"I can try my hardest to. I can't make promises but I can say I will do my best to watch your back, both on and off the battlefield. I hold you in high affection and respect, Bella. I will not willingly hurt you." Richard said reaching out to stroke her hair. Bella surprised herself by letting him.

"What do you want from me?" She asked finally frowning at how soft and small her voice sounded.

"All I want is the chance to show you how much I care about you. I'm not asking you to jump into bed with me or anything. Perhaps instead let me take you out on a real date. Not a night on the town as your friend." He said softly looking at her with a look that made her feel content. She didn't quite understand the look since not even Edward gave her one like it before.

"A date, that's it?"

"Well for now, if you enjoy going out with me in such a manner we can have another one."

"Now you're getting cocky."

"I wouldn't call it cocky, just hopefully optimistic."

Bella snorted slightly and crossed her arms. "So I guess us going out to hunt down a vampire alone is out of the question."

"I don't necessary go hunting on the first date, but if you would like?"

"Oh for the love of…" Bella threw up her hands before sliding off the bed. "A decent restaurant will do. Now get out, I want to take a shower."

"Whatever you say, love." Richard said standing up and walking to the door. "How does tomorrow night sound?"

"Just peachy," Bella said with a roll of her eyes before making shooing motions with her hands. "Out."

She didn't like the way he smiled as he shut the door on his way out. Nevertheless she heaved a great sigh and gathered her things for a long hot shower. Enamored werewolf and mental breakdowns aside, Bella hadn't felt this content in years. Probably because she never truly sat down to work out her problems before, now that she knew what was wrong she could fix it. She decided to start with the fact that she had never truly loved Edward.

"I mean really Bella. You have to admit there was some school girl attraction there and all. But what's to say you'd still be interested after he stopped looking at you like a Rubik Cube shaped candy he wants to sink his teeth into." She said rolling her eyes and decided to run a bath rather than a hot shower. "And doesn't that sound fun."

Bella stripped as she thought over her relationship with Edward. As a grown woman, though not necessarily well versed in long term relationships outside the platonic and one night stands, she could honestly scuff at her naïve attitude towards love back then. She honestly acted like she was some little girl waiting for a dashing prince to save her.

"Well he did end up doing that, I'll give him credit for that. But outside of that what did we have in common? Romeo and Juliet, the meadow, maybe a few other things like music? I thought I'd get to know him more as time went on but he never would open up." She said before sighing as she ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, that aside what good advice from my personal heroes can I use?"

A sudden flash of the Dog Whisperer entered her mind telling her to live in the now and to remain calm and assertive. Looking at her nude form in the mirror with a rather baffled look on her face, she blinked. She could have picked any role model in the world and her first pick was a man who was probably a dog in a past life.

"I need to stop hanging out with Madison." She said but smiled slightly as she turned to sink into the hot water of the filled tub. "Then again, the Dog Whisperer does have a point. So what's happening in my life now? Well obviously I have a werewolf who wants to be my boyfriend. There's a crazy vampire that probably wants to eat me or rape me. I'm just weeks away from a war with a race of blood sucking near indestructible immortals. My newest allies include the Vatican. And I'm still in charge of a group of psychos that happened to be not only vampire hunters but mutants as well. It's not all bad, that's good."

Bella leaned back as her mind began to plan. First she knew getting the werewolves, Omerta, and Vatican officials into one room without bloodshed would be her top priority. Locating the remaining vampires here in Rome would be the next issue on the table, perhaps even destroying them. Then there would be planning the major battle to come, Volterra.

"In the meantime I can find time to test the waters with Richard." She said as she relaxed in the warm water. "Felix I'll take care of as he appears. He won't be able to escape much longer. With the current condition of the team, I will have to wait on the reports of the training facility. No doubt I will need to get the guys in there as quickly as possible so we can begin training to face our greatest challenge yet. But for now I can finally relax."

And she did, for the first time in what seemed like years. She did however try to ignore the content almost purring feeling she had deep within her psyche. It was just felt nice to know her deepest instincts seemed for the first time just as relaxed and content as she truly felt. She wondered if she should take baths more often rather than showers.

The next few days passed by with little incident.

Bella was proud when she got a few of the alphas of nearby packs, her Vatican officials, and an Omerta representative into a room to discuss. In the end the meeting became a war council as the group began to focus on the big prize. In the meantime Bella was tasked with cleaning Rome of the vampire problem.

Ray ended up fixing some of the damage done to her spells during the HYDRA incident. The green haired mutant witch tightened the barriers surrounding the cities in Italy. Now the vampires were locked both out of the cities and in whatever city they happened to be in. The werewolves and Omerta were especially pleased and already working to exterminate the vampires in the country.

Hiro reported he and Santa, as Madison dubbed Nicholas, were almost finished with the training facility. Daken was biting at the bit to start training. Bella was just glad that soon Laura and Daken would have a place to spar that didn't cause property damage at the neighbors.

And yes, Bella had to admit she actually did enjoy herself on the three dates she had with Richard so far. The werewolf had always been a gentleman, it was part of the reason Bella enjoyed his friendship. Now he was a very affectionate gentleman that knew when to give her space. If she was honest with herself, Bella could admit she was enjoying where her relationship with the man was going.

Speaking of relationships, Bella smiled to herself as she thought of Ray and Dolph. The two were going through a rough patch now that Dolph was fully healed. Ray was still worrying over him like a mother hen and it was getting on the kitten's nerves. Not that Bella blamed him. Dolph never had much pride when Bella first met him so now that he had some self confidence he prided himself in his independence.

Shaking her head Bella traced the V shaped cool metal in her hand.

"What's so amusing Coyote-chan?"

Looking up Bella smiled at Daken who was hovering over her. The two had just finished a successful raid on a vampire nest in the poorer side of Rome. Though their information said it was a small nest the two found a sizable group of vampires as well as a Volturi vampire that was stuck in Rome.

"It's nothing Daken, just thinking about Dolph and Ray." Bella said as she ignored the group from the Swiss Guard that accompanied them on the mission. Nicholas was adamant that his men learned how to deal with these vampires before they went into battle. It was part of the reason why Bella's group had claim to Rome.

"Ray-san still hasn't left him be. Kind of makes you feel sorry for him in a way." Daken said sitting down next to Bella on a bench. The two were waiting for the Swiss Guard to clean up the area before they left, just in case they missed a vampire and were needed as back up.

"He's getting used to her fussing. Honestly the two of them are quite a match when they aren't arguing." Bella said pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"True, Dolph-san needs a bit more confidence in himself before they can work out every little thing though." Daken said glancing at her as she lit a cigarette.

"I can't argue with that. He's come a long way from when Mad and I found him though." Bella said getting a smirk from Daken as the two sat in silence for a few long minutes.

"I'm glad to see you haven't picked up smoking cigars. The smoke from those makes my nose itch." Daken said holding out his hand. Bella raised her eyebrows before she pulled out her pack of cigarettes and her lighter.

"Thought you didn't smoke when you weren't drinking?"

"I smoke on occasion. I just don't like the taste of Marlboros." Daken said even as he lit his own cigarette before handing the pack and lighter back to Bella.

"What can I say? I'm an all-American girl." Bella said with a smirk getting a soft laugh from Daken.

"I won't dispute that. I know you've had more than one party off the back of that old truck you own." Daken said with a grin.

"So who's been smoking cigars around you?" Bella said looking at her uncle curiously.

"Logan and Victor both have that habit. When I stayed for a bit at the Institute I got a laugh out of Xavier scolding Logan for smoking in front of the kids." Daken said making Bella laugh.

"Man, wish I could have seen that." Bella said imagining her gruff looking grandfather being scolded by a bald guy in a wheelchair. Somehow the image made her grandfather look like a rebellious teenager rather than a war veteran.

The two fell into a comfortable silence once more. It gave Bella enough time to muster up some of her courage. She after all hadn't been able to sit down with Daken or Laura to have a chat like this before.

"Hey Daken?"

"Yea?"

Bella looked at him for a second while he waited for her patiently. "I was wondering. Have you ever felt like you weren't fully human?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Daken asked with a grin making her roll her eyes. Of course she was speaking with a bloodthirsty mercenary, but really Laura wouldn't be much better help.

"Sometimes… does it feel like inside your more animal than human like the rest of these guys?" Bella said motioning with her chin to the Swiss Guard officials still rushing around them. She noted the group was almost finished with what they were doing so soon they could leave.

"Like you have deeper more savage instincts than you had before?" Daken said making her glance at him before nodding slightly. "I suppose. I can't remember what it felt like to be normal. But I did live with a good family once that treated me like one of their own."

Bella watched him look up at the night sky above them with a dim gleam of longing in his eyes. "Do you think they would understand if they knew?"

"About our deeper instincts? Nah, they're just normal humans." Daken said turning to her with a savage grin. "We're feral inside Coyote-chan. You know it and trust it just as much as I do. We, Laura, Logan, even Victor all act on our instincts more than we act on our thoughts. Sometimes I forget to think I'm so caught up in those primal feelings."

"Is that why you've chased Mad all around the world?" Bella said with a smirk getting a snort from Daken.

"It was the first reason, afterwards it just became fun." Daken said getting a snort of laughter from Bella. "Don't worry about your instincts Coyote-chan, everyone has them. We are just more in tuned with them than normal people are."

"Have you ever been instinctually angry at yourself before?" Bella said a little uncomfortable with the question.

"Nope, can't say I have. But if I do, I already know that would be frustrating." Daken said giving her a curious look. "Why?"

"I spent some time a few days ago sorting out what I've been through. I never understood where my anger with vampires came from but I'm beginning to think I never really hated vampires to begin with. I think it was more along the lines of me projecting the anger I had for myself on a convenient source that resembled why I was angry to begin with." Bella said with a confused frown. "Does that make sense?"

"A bit, you used vampires as a scapegoat for your own anger because you were pissed off at something you did." Daken said getting a nod from Bella. "I take it you've worked out your issues."

"Yea," Bella said with a bit of a smirk. "Still doesn't mean I'm letting up on the vampire hunting. I'll stop once the Volturi are dead and gone though. I've wasted too much time beating this issue to death."

Daken chuckled. "Good to know, I don't think anyone will be happy if you decided to walk off now."

"Coyote, Daken, we are finished." A young operative of the Swiss Guard said coming up to the two.

"Alright, we'll call it a night. Go home and get some rest." Bella said getting a nod from the operative as she stood up. Pausing she glanced back at Daken. "You want to head back to the house?"

"Nah, since we're having such a good heart to heart there's some things I want to know about." Daken said standing up and slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Oh? And what could those things be?" Bella said with a snort as the two started walking. Bella could feel him leading her towards one of the nearby bars.

"Well first, mind telling me what my little brother was like?"

"Dad?" Bella said looking up at her uncle who nodded. She blinked once before smirking slightly. "Only if you tell me what grandpa's like."

"Deal."

Yes, Bella thought, things were definitely working out fine. But she couldn't help but think it wouldn't last long. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach that made her uneasy. She just hoped it wouldn't spell disaster for her or her friends.

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YAY! I managed to get a bit of interaction with Daken and Bella into this. I hope this chap measured up. Anyway make me happy and keep me moving.

REVIEW!


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yep, another chapter, and I am working on the next one. If I hadn't said so already I will like to point out I'm going to seem to rush through the next few chapters to the end. I think I've drawn this particular story out a bit and it's time for it to silently close. Anyway thanks to all of you who reviewed, alerted, and/or favorited this story.

**Disclaimer**: Nope, still as poor as dirt so I can't claim any ownership over Twilight or the Xmen.

**ENJOY!**

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"Santa! We've been over this a hundred times, incendiary bombs are a must." Bella whined as she rested her head on her folded arms. She had been up most of yesterday as well as all of last night. She just wanted to sleep.

"Would you stop calling me that?" Nicholas said as he gave Bella an exasperated look.

"I will when you start gifting me with everything on my Christmas list." Bella said with a smirk.

"Why do you think we will need such high explosives?" Nicholas said as he actually rolled his eyes. Not that Bella was too surprised, their meeting was hitting the fourth hour mark and all of them were exhausted.

"We're going to be fighting the big boys of the Volturi. Ray already said the oldest will be able to create newborns. These past few months have shown we are going into an all out war. What makes you think those bloodsucking bitches won't add to their army while they have the chance?" Bella said pushing off the table to stretch.

"I will have to agree with Coyote on this one. The research I've done into the spells Eden used have indicated it is highly likely that the suggestive aspect of the spells has been thoroughly compromised." Father Ferrara said as he pushed his glasses further up his nose. "While there are Holy spells we can use, I think in this case explosives are just as effective."

"And it's not like we can't rebuild Volterra. Hell, we can even call it a terrorist attack and help raise money for the relief fund. Please? Just a few tiny fire crackers at least."

Nicholas gave Bella a stern look. Regardless Bella gave him her best set of puppy dog eyes. The man didn't stand a chance. She was trained by Madison in the art of pathetic after all.

"Fine, I'll put in the request. How is training going with your team?" Nicholas said getting a happy whoop from the woman in question.

"Oh, it's going fan-fucking-tastic. Laura and Daken have proven to be bastards in the art of physical training." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "Already the guys and I have improved well beyond our own personal training. All you have to do is tell us where and when we have to show up."

"At least that is on track," Nicholas said before turning to the amused and silent member of the conference. "And how are preparations going in Omerta?"

"**We will be ready as well when the Vatican wishes us to be.**" Omerta said getting a nod from Nicholas.

"And the werewolf packs?" Nicholas said turning to Giovanni who smiled.

"We have already coordinated which packs will be participating and are close to final preparations. As of yesterday we have fifty different packs ready to move as soon as they're ordered to." Giovanni said with a smirk at Bella who smiled back.

"Good, his Holiness will be pleased to hear this. Is there anything else we should be aware of?" Nicholas said leaning back in his chair.

"Oh, yes, the guys and I were talking. Since the Volturi are in fact the leaders of this vampire race, when we take them out the remaining vampires will be without any form of government. While it will be good for us since it will cause chaos among their people, we can't insure the safety of any innocents outside of Italy. Our barriers are only around this country after all." Bella said getting surprised looks from the others. "What? I care about other people too you know."

"We're not accusing you otherwise." Nicholas said with a slight smile. "It just never occurred to us this would be a problem."

"Yea, well I've been fighting these guys for years now. I know there are a few family units I've missed elsewhere in the world." Bella said with a roll of her eyes.

"**How do you purpose we fix this problem?**" Omerta asked making Bella grin.

"Actually Ray has come up with a solution, but she will have to work with Father Ferrara here. She is wondering if the Vatican can arrange for some of the priests trained in exorcisms to put up similar barriers in the countries they're residing in. However, the barriers will be holy in nature rather than Wiccan in nature. She tried to explain it all to me but most of that stuff goes over my head." Bella said looking thoughtful.

"I'll be happy to work with Eden on this project." Ferrara said with a smile.

"And I'll arrange for it to be executed before our attack on Volterra. It will take a few more weeks at least." Nicholas said getting nods from those around. "Could you insure the two of you find a quick solution?"

"I will do my best." Ferrara said with determination shining in his brown eyes.

"Good," Nicholas said before turning to Giovanni. "Is there any way we can organize the werewolves into tracking down and killing them?"

"It will take some negotiation but most werewolves are more than willing to kill these vampires so it shouldn't be too hard. I will have to speak with Mr. Lawrence though since he has more contacts with foreign packs than I do." Giovanni said getting a nod from Nicholas.

"Just see that it gets done, I'm sure Bella can help you." Nicholas said getting a nod from Bella.

"So can we call it quits for now? I've been up all night chasing vampires and I'm really tired. Also your coffee tastes like shit." Bella said getting a few chuckles.

"Yes, I think that is all we can cover for today. However, with how preparations are going we should be able to set our attack date somewhere around April First." Nicholas said getting a grin from Bella.

"Now that will be the best April Fool's Day prank I've ever participated in." Bella said as she stood up.

"It might not be exactly on the first of April though." Giovanni said as they began gathering their things.

"True but it is something to look forward to, like bed." Bella said her focus suddenly on the thought of crashing into a nice fluffy mattress. Giovanni just laughed and motioned for her to follow him.

"I'll give you a ride back. I doubt you'll make it otherwise." He said his hazel eyes dancing.

"Oh thank you," she said as she practically skipped along side of him.

"So how is the hunting in Rome going?"

"We've managed to clear out a good portion of vampires. We've also managed to take down six Volturi vampires in the city. Of the original guard that means we've already taken out half of their strongest force." Bella said with a smirk.

"That's good to hear. Did you managed to sink your claws into that vampire you're always growling about? Uh, Felix I believe his name is." Giovanni said but smiled at Bella's sudden snarl.

"No, he got away the last time we met and hasn't been seen in Rome since. I think the bastard high tailed it back to his masters like a scared puppy, especially since I took out one of his friends. If he is there, I won't be able to touch him until I get to Volterra." Bella said crossing her arms around the folders she held.

"Ah, well we can't have everything now can we? At least Nicholas will come through with your requests for the final battle, of that I'm sure." Giovanni said as they neared his car.

"Yea Christmas is coming early for my gang. I know Laura and Daken will have a hell of a lot of fun with those rocket launchers I've requested." Bella said with a vicious grin. "Until then we will have to wait patiently though."

"At least you've done well to keep things on track. How is Richard anyway? I know he was waylaid by Niccola earlier." Giovanni said looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"He's doing well. We had plans to go out last night but that didn't pan out well." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "I don't blame the Vatican but sometimes I get the feeling I signed up to be their attack dog."

"Don't blame them. They are just insuring everything is going according to plan. Just think in a few weeks you can do as you please without a war looming in the horizon." Giovanni said making Bella sigh as she leaned back into her chair. The rest of the ride was quiet and Bella spent most of the time trying not to fall asleep.

It didn't take them long to show back up at the hotel/villa the group originally was supposed to stay at. Bella's group moved back there after the repairs had finished. In fact it was much easier on everyone since the townhouse was indeed too small for such a large group. So now everyone was content and less likely to be at each others' throats.

Bella said a quick goodbye to the werewolf and slinked up to her room. Putting the folders onto her dresser, she didn't even bother to fuss over her clothes. She simply stripped down to her underwear and put on the first t-shirt she laid her hands on. Then she crawled into bed and was out not long after her head touched the pillow.

The sudden smell of forest made her want to groan. Not that she didn't mind these dreams she just was a bit too exhausted she didn't want to dream. Nevertheless she was soon opening her eyes to find herself lying on a bench in the stone pavilion she met Carlisle in.

"Well let's see," she said as she stretched and stood up, "only two people left to meet, so who will it be this time?"

She smiled happily as she bounced down the steps. She could hear the drums playing and with a skip in her step she headed after them. In fact she never felt this light and happy after entering this dream forest before. Then again she did come to terms with a lot in the past weeks.

Her trip through the forest was a pleasant stroll. Along the way she took the time to examine the golden woods around her. It really was a breathtaking sight. The forest was only something that could be in a dream in her opinion.

Shaking her head she picked up her pace a bit as she heard the drums get further away from her. Slowly the scenery changed as she began to move through the woods. The most notable change was the fact she was soon walking on a cleared path. It almost looked like a game trail but was a bit too clear cut to be one.

Shaking her head she trotted along. The drums continuing to pick up pace just a bit as she moved. In fact she calmly closed her eyes and let the drums take her where they wanted her to go. Part of her wanted to race freely through the woods and ignore the drums all together. That part of her she quickly realized was her feral side.

Shaking her head to herself she continued on. Part of her noticed, actually, that aside from a slight rustle in the leaves, and the drums in the distance, she barely could make out any other sounds of life. As she walked she tried to think back if there had been any life at all before. The fact she couldn't recall that there was any life in the woods in her previous dreams only made her slightly disheartened.

Eventually she made it to where the drums were leading her. She was amused to find a rather homey piece of forest. It was dominated by a large tree with golden leaves. The tree was probably the largest in the whole forest, with its large roots hugging the ground all around it.

"Now that is impressive." Bella said as she looked up at the tree. It was probably as tall as a fifty story building and twice as thick.

"It is beautiful isn't it?"

Bella turned to the warm voice with a smile. Standing there in white robes with a smile on her motherly face was Esme. The woman's warm brown eyes still held the motherly affection she was known for in life. In fact her eyes seemed even more loving now they were such a humbly warm shade of color.

"Esme," Bella said as she crossed across the distance between them and enveloped the woman in a warm hug.

"It's good to see you too, Bella. Especially with how happy you look." Esme said with a grin before the two headed over to a smaller root to sit down. "How have you been?"

"I've had my ups and downs but I think I've worked it out for now. I'm still anxious though, what with the war on the horizon." Bella said running a hand through her wild mane.

"That's good to hear, although I would rather there not be any war." Esme said squeezing Bella's free hand. "How is your mother?"

"She's doing great. She sent me pictures of her latest vacation to Mexico. She also spent three hours just talking with Grant." Bella said relaxing into the conversation. "I also got pictures from Angela, the twins are so adorable."

"I'm glad. I remember Angela from Alice's talks about school. It's nice to hear she married her high school sweetheart." Esme said with a warm smile. "Speaking of which, who's the handsome man in your life?"

"Richard? He's an old friend and a real werewolf. But a great guy all around when it counts." Bella said with a smile. "I honestly didn't realize I'd end up in a relationship with him. But it just seems so easy, not like when I was going out with…"

"Edward had been a teenager for far longer than you were. He did what he thought was best but it's hard to tell if the best thing is the right thing sometimes." Esme said patting Bella's hand. "Regardless, I'm happy you've found people that make you love life. I only regret not being there to meet your cute son."

"Yea, Grant's probably one of the few good things that came out of all this." Bella said with a fond smile thinking of the younger mutant she adopted. "I don't know what I would do if something happened to him."

"Not to jump the gun but what are you planning on doing after you've taken care of the Volturi?" Esme said after they fell into a few moments of comfortable silence.

"Originally I was planning on going back to Seattle. But now I'm thinking about heading to England where Richard is manager of a local pub. It's his element and I really don't want to take him from it more than I have been." Bella said looking off into the woods with a slight smile. "But I try not to think that far ahead. I still have to focus on what's coming."

"Yes, but at least keep it in the back of your mind. You can't win something if you don't have a reason to try in the first place." Esme said making Bella grin before she hugged the older woman close.

"God, I haven't realized how much I missed you. I've missed all of you." Bella said closing her eyes and breathing in the warm scent lingering around the woman.

"We miss you as well, but we're not far from you. We still get to check in on what you're doing every once in a while. Alice practically threw a party when she saw you go on an actual date with your werewolf." Esme said getting a laugh from Bella.

"So how is Edward?" Bella said pulling back from her surrogate mother.

"He's in his own world most of the time. We've reasoned with him but it's been hard for him to accept what happened. I don't think he realized how truly unhappy and how vulnerable you really were when he left. It has taken him just as much time as it has taken you to come to terms with everything. Although a part of me thinks he hasn't quite managed to fully accept it all." Esme said with a sigh. It was now Bella's turn to squeeze the woman's hand.

"He will come around. He just needs to realize his way wasn't the only way." Bella said with an encouraging smile getting a thankful one in return.

"When he is ready he'll come speak with you." Esme said brushing some of Bella's wild hair out of her face.

"So what's with the visit anyway?" Bella said sensing they were on the edge of something important.

"I've come to say my last goodbye. While the others are going to be watching over you until they wish to move on, I'm ready to do so now." Esme said making Bella blink before nodding. "Just promise me to cherish your mother."

"I don't need to promise, I already do." Bella said with a soft smile. "I won't forget you. You're probably one of the few people who meant the most to me."

"I can't tell you how much that means to me." Esme said tears in her eyes. "I will miss you, but if what they say is true, we'll meet again someday."

"I'd like that. Until then I'll keep your memory close." Bella said getting a warm smile from Esme.

Bella reached over and gave the suddenly glowing woman a large hug. She held on even as the glow got too bright and she had to close her eyes. In that moment an eternity passed in her arms and she almost didn't want to let go. Though with a deep breath, trying to memorize everything she could about the woman, Bella let Esme go.

It felt like several life times had passed before Bella opened her eyes. When she did she found herself hugging her pillow and a few tears drying on her face. Nestling her head on her arm she closed her eyes with a smile. In the silence and peace of the moment she carefully went over every memory she had about Esme. It was just her, the setting sun, memories, and peace. Slowly her eyes drifted shut and quietly she drifted into a dreamless sleep.

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YAY! Yes, if you haven't guessed Esme is one of the Cullens I tend to like. Anyway, things are moving along at thier own pace and soon the fight with the Volturi will be here. If you're wondering yes I'm going to be closing the poll soon so if you haven't voted you should. In the meantime:

REVIEW...please?


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes another chapter and one step closer to the end. I finished this chapter a while ago but didn't post it since I was more or less trying to figure out the next few chapters. I still haven't gotten it as worked out as I probably should but I know what most of the next chapter will be like. Anyway thank you to all that have reviewed, favorited, and/or alerted this story. Hopefully I can get the next few chapters planned and typed.

**Disclaimer**: I'm still as poor as dirt so it's quite obvious I am not recieving any money for any of this. Sadly all copywrite claims belong to other people.

**ENJOY!**

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"Mère!"

Bella grunted as she felt something bounce onto her bed. She growled softly as she buried her face into her pillow. She did not want to get up.

"Mère! Come on, wake up!"

She felt a hand shaking her shoulder. She grumbled into her pillow. However one of her eyes cracked open and peered through her tangled hair.

Grant's red on black eyes peered down at her. He didn't look distressed to her sleepy mind. In fact the imp was looking slightly amused with a small half smile on his lips.

He leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Mère, it's time to wake up."

Bella hadn't wanted to be woken up so she decided to retaliate. In a fast smooth motion she twisted around and grabbed her adopted son around the waist. Before he could react, she had him pinned and was tickling his sides.

She couldn't help but smile slightly as he laughed. Between shrieks of laughter he begged her to stop but she didn't relent until she felt he had a just punishment. He was gasping for breath by the time she let him go.

Rolling onto her side, she propped her head up with a hand. She could already tell her hair was going to be a nightmare to untangle as it fell haphazardly around her. Though she couldn't help but smile, especially since her son was glaring up at the ceiling like it was the cause of her impromptu attack.

"That was evil, mère." He said still huffing a bit to catch his breath.

"No, you waking me up after I finally could get a good night's sleep is evil." She said with a smirk. "What's with the wakeup call anyway?"

"You've been asleep since you got home from that meeting yesterday. Oncle Dolph and Richard were getting worried." Grant said turning his head to look at her. "Oncle Daken told them to f-off and let you get some rest."

"So how were you recruited into waking me up?" Bella said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oncle Dolph bought me that new video game I wanted when he was out shopping for groceries." Grant said getting a laugh from Bella.

"I guess I'll have to see that the kitten is suitably punished." Bella said with a smile getting a snort from Grant.

"Don't be too hard on him. Tante Ray will have your head." Grant said but he was smiling along with her. "So how did things go yesterday?"

"Business is business, kiddo," Bella said with a sigh. "Everything is on track and we're only a few vampires away from facing the big ones."

"What will Eyes and I do when that happens?" Grant said with a frown. "Are you letting us fight against the Volturi?"

"I wasn't planning on it. Instead I was thinking about having you two hang back and working with the tech support." Bella said getting a nod from Grant who was still frowning. "Come on, what's up little man?"

"I'm almost as tall as you." Grant said getting a chuckle from Bella.

"True, but that doesn't mean I get any less worried when you're upset." Bella said giving him a half hug even though she was in rather awkward position.

"What if you get hurt?" Grant looked slightly more distressed making Bella sigh.

"I ain't going to get hurt. Besides, my powers will protect me." Bella said her eyes softening even as she noticed Grant fidget slightly.

"But what if you die? You can still die mère." Grant said looking up at her with searching eyes. For a moment it struck Bella how truly young her son still was. Hell the kid was barely getting into puberty even if he was growing like a bean.

"I won't die." Bella said firmly with a serious stare. "I can promise you that above all else I won't be killed easily. I'll have you waiting for me to get off the battlefield. If anything that is the best reason I have for living."

"You promise you won't die?" Grant said making Bella bite her lip uneasily.

"I can't promise I won't die. I will promise to do everything in my power not to die. Will that work?"

"Yea, just so long as you promise," Grant said with a slight smile. "So what are you going to do about Oncle Dolph?"

"Do we still have some of that catnip hidden away in your suitcase?" Bella said getting a maniac grin from her son who bounded off the bed.

"I'll go get it." Grant said leaving the room and slamming the door before she could say anything.

Shaking her head, Bella laughed to herself as she got out of bed. She still had to get ready for the day, or what was left of it. However her smile soon fell to a frown. She wondered what brought on Grant's sudden need to be reassured about her staying alive. Perhaps he too could sense something foreboding on the horizon.

Bella sighed to herself, "I really need to speak with Omerta about finding out what is really going on in Volterra. The more we know, the better prepared we'll be."

The weeks soon blurred into fighting, training, and preparing. Bella spent more time at the Vatican than she thought she ever would. On the up side she got to meet the actual Pope once. She had to admit for a holy guy the man had a decent sense of humor and a deeply compassionate soul. But on principal she tried not to trust elected officials, politicians always were up to something in her opinion.

She had almost completely forgotten about Ray's side project until she got the call that it was a success. Now all they had to do was finish the final touches and they would be in business. But still Bella felt a sort of nagging at the back of her mind, like her instincts were telling her something wasn't going to work out like she hoped. It made her somewhat irritable.

Sighing she glared into her Cheerios with a frown. "Why aren't you telling me the meaning of life? That's it I'm going back to Rice Krispies as soon as we get out of Italy."

"Just because Cheerios don't speak doesn't mean they aren't telling you something." Ray said with a smile holding her cup of coffee. Bella wondered how the plant manipulator could stand true Italian coffee. It wired the brunette up like a time bomb, so much so Santa put her on a strict no coffee diet for a whole week after she first tried it.

"I am not trying to divine the meaning of life. I want someone to tell me it." Bella said with a roll of her eyes. "Maybe then my instincts won't be screaming at me to brace myself for trouble."

"Maybe you're just getting antsy about the upcoming battle. We've already taken out the last of the Volturi vampires here in Rome. Now all we need to do is clear out a few smaller convents and then we'll be on our way to Volterra." Ray said getting a sigh from Bella.

"Yea I know," Bella said tilting her head in slight thought. "You could be right. You know how I get before a fight, especially a big one."

"If it is still bothering you perhaps you should speak to Laura and Daken about it. I've noticed both of them prowling the living areas around here the past few days." Ray said getting a nod from Bella. "Even Dolph seems to be a bit off lately, he is much quicker to agitate than he normally is."

"Has your magic told you anything? Or how about the plants, they say anything?" Bella said getting a hum from Ray.

"Now that you mention it, something does seem to be off about the earth. It's like the plants are all holding their breath for some reason." Ray said narrowing her violet eyes carefully. "Dante and Hiro are also rather twitchy. Grant doesn't seem too affected but even he's a bit tense, while Chris seems to be the only one around here not as in-tuned like the rest of us."

"Well her powers are more psychic than they are elemental or nature based. She also isn't as versed in magic as you are." Bella said tilting her head slightly. "Maybe what's setting us off is something so subtle only those closest to nature can feel it."

"I will look into it. You should speak to Richard about it as well. Maybe the werewolves are also picking up on it." Ray said getting a nod from Bella.

"Sure, but he won't be back until sometime in the evening." Bella said with a shrug. "He's working on the final organization of the foreign werewolves. From what I can tell those conversations take a while."

"He really is quite the mediator." Ray said with a smile.

"Seems he's been his alpha's spoke person since he's been a werewolf, probably because he's a bartender, it'll make him easy to talk to." Bella said getting a soft laugh from her friend.

"So how are you two doing?" Ray said giving Bella a playful smile.

"We're good. We've been debating if Grant and I will go to England or if Richard will come with us to Seattle. I know he doesn't want to leave his bar, so I've been leaning more towards going with him back to England. Besides there are less governmental organizations looking for mutants there, it'd be nice to simply sit back and enjoy life for a bit." Bella said getting a smile from Ray.

"Yes, but Dolph and I wouldn't go to England. There are still too many bad memories for him there. I think we will go to Seattle when this all blows over. Dante is talking about moving to New England, wanting to become a citizen of America and all. Hiro, well he seems to want to go with us to Seattle and potentially work with Felix at the computer company there. I'm not sure what Mad is up to, she and Daken have been dancing around each other for months now." Ray said shaking her head in mild amusement.

"Mad isn't ready to settle down I know that. More than likely she'll talk Santa into giving her cases she can run with. Uncle will probably be right on her heels like he has been for the past few years. I know Laura is going to be coming with me wherever I go, I think she's become attached." Bella said with a fond smile that Ray shared.

"This is nice." Ray said smiling into her coffee. "Talking about what we are going to do once this is over. It's perhaps the first time since I joined the group that we actually did this. It almost feels like the next battle is all the more real."

"Yea," Bella said before huffing slightly. "It's rather terrifying. In the next big battle any one of us can die and here we are, talking about what we'll do once everything is said and done."

"There is nothing wrong with planning ahead. It gives us something to aim for." Ray said getting a smile from Bella.

"I know, but thinking of getting there is rather scary when you put it into the big picture." Bella said with a shrug.

"Only because you know some sacrifices will be made before we can get what we want." Ray said with a warm smile. "But don't worry too much. All of us plan on living through this. We won't go down without one hell of a fight."

"Thanks," Bella said suddenly feeling more confident than she had been.

"Even great generals have to be reminded that their soldiers are just as capable of earning their position as they themselves did." Ray said with a smile.

"What's with us that makes us sound like fortune cookies?" Bella said looking at Ray confused but the green haired mutant just laughed.

By the time the sun was setting Bella was pacing. She hadn't seen Daken or Laura that day but that was mostly because she was on the roof. She didn't know what compelled her to go on the roof of the hotel but after her conversation with Ray that was where her feet took her.

Something in her gut really was agitating her though. It felt almost like an adrenaline rush just before a car accident, she could almost see the accident coming but had no way of stopping it. So instead she found herself pacing back and forth like a caged animal.

She had made some phone calls but otherwise her day had been quiet. Grant was content to play video games with Chris, and Ray calmly helped Dolph in the kitchen. Otherwise the rest of her friends all found a quiet place to isolate themselves, all seeming to be content to stay in their own little world for now.

Bella had lost track of time somewhere in the afternoon and it was only the glint of a nearby building that alerted her to the setting sun. Slowly her feet came to a stop as she watched the fiery ball descend towards the horizon. It had been a long time since she was able to stand and watch the sun set in relative peace.

"Dolph said you'd be up here."

Bella blinked before turning slightly to see Richard stepping up next to her.

"I couldn't stay inside," she said realizing how true those words were. She just didn't feel right being inside for some reason.

"Ray said your instincts were acting up. Did you eat anything today?" Richard said turning his concerned gray eyes down onto her.

"This morning," Bella said with a shrug. "I'll go down and eat something soon."

"Something's got your whole team antsy," Richard said with a huff turning back to the setting sun. "Do you have any clue what it could be?"

"Something in the air," Bella said with a shrug also turning to the sun. "Something feels off, I don't know what but it's making all of us a bit jumpy."

"Do you think it might be related to the upcoming battle?"

"No, well yes but no," Bella said her eyebrows scrunching up as she tried to put words to what she was feeling. "Something big is going to happen and it might involve our fight with the Volturi, but something just doesn't seem right."

"You don't seem too concerned," Richard said looking her over.

"It's a bit nerve-racking but it doesn't feel life shattering," Bella said turning back towards the horizon, "not yet."

The two fell into silence and Bella let her mind wander. She supposed she really just was a bit jumpy with how close things were to ending. She knew if she was acting like this then it would filter to her friends. They were just that close nowadays.

She tensed when she felt strong arms wrap around her waist. Closing her eyes she sighed as she felt Richard rest his chin on her shoulder. It was moments like this she savored, moments were it felt right not to be the strongest of the group.

"You really are tense." He said into her ear and she surprised herself by relaxing into his hold.

"I just want this over and done with so I can put it all behind me." Bella said opening her eyes to watch the slowly darkening sky.

"Have you figured out what you want to do after the Volturi are gone?"

"I think Grant and I will be going with you to England. Ray, Dolph, and Hiro sound like they'll go to Seattle while Dante fell in love with New England. I just want to find a small patch of earth where no one will bother us and rest. It sounds like Laura's going to be following me as well." Bella said with a slight smile.

"What about your uncle and Mad?"

"Mad's going to continue running and exploring. She's got the energy for it and the will to do just about anything that doesn't kill her. Daken will probably be following right behind her like a lost puppy."

"What about your other family?"

"Mom's happy with my stepdad."

"Don't you also have a grandfather?"

"I never formally met him. We've crossed paths but he's only met Susan Meadows."

"Would you like to meet him?"

"I don't know. It's rather scary. He doesn't even know he had a son, let alone two sons. What if he doesn't like me?"

"It's pretty hard not to like you."

Bella elbowed him gently in the ribs, "You're only saying that 'cause I'm your girlfriend."

"It's true though."

She could hear his grin even before she turned to look at him. There he was standing there like nothing was wrong in the world. His lips were drawn into a playful but gentle grin, soft gray eyes glinting in the dying light of the sun.

But unlike all those years ago when she was with Edward, she felt truly content to stand here and watch this werewolf in front of her. The warmth that spread through her chest making her feel completely at peace with everything, she wondered if that was what love truly felt like. If it was, she didn't want to ever lose it.

"What's with the look?" He said with a slight smirk eyes dancing in amusement. She wanted to be angry at him but couldn't. It was only slightly different from the many times Grant toed the line around her and her inability to really get mad at him.

"I was just realizing you make everything in my world seem alright." Bella said with a smirk before turning back to the horizon. She closed her eyes with a content sigh. "I haven't felt this peaceful since leaving Arizona to stay with my dad in Forks."

"Well I'm glad I make you happy." He said giving her a hug from behind. "But you really should come down and eat something. We can't have you lose your strength just before the big fight."

"Yea, sure," Bella said allowing him to pull her along.

She had to smile as she followed Richard through the roof access. Some days she thanked the gods she had such a good friend in him. It wasn't unlike her friendship with Jacob, only she never could see Richard as a little brother figure. It was part of the reason why she knew her and Jacob would never get together. But now that she thought about it she probably should call to see how Sue and Billy were. She'd do that as soon as she found the time.

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YAY! Again things are slow going but they are moving. For now yes this is a Bella/Oc story but that will change. I have not forgotten about the poll, which reminds me.

**NOTE:** **After the next two chapters the poll will be taken down and the results will be taken into account for future developments. Also there will be a sequel with the Xmen to be posted after I finish this story.**

That being said I hope you liked this chapter. I'm not really a romance writer but I do try, I become a better author that way.

REVIEW


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Hello all, yes this is a new chapter. Not much to say since I'm still having a problem getting the next few chapters just right. Ah well, thank you to all who have favorited, alerted, and/or reviewed this story.

**Disclaimer**: Yea, I'm still poor as dirt so can't say I'm suddenly making money off of this so obviously all rights go to the real owners.

ENJOY

* * *

Opening her eyes to find herself surrounded by woods and golden leaves didn't surprise her. What surprised her was the fact that she could see so many leaves falling from the trees. She looked around frowning and started to carefully make her way around the large tree she found herself standing under.

"It feels like autumn." She said as she looked up to the golden canopy above her.

The leaves fell freely reminding her of snowfall. Closing her eyes she inhaled the warm air lingering around her. It didn't smell like autumn.

"It smells like tears." She said stopping in her tracks. She ran her tongue over the roof of her mouth before swallowing. She could feel her features hardening as she stood straighter.

The woods had lost their comfort. In fact she could no longer hear the drums. Everything was silent and she didn't like that. A frown curved her lips as she strode forward.

Her journey took her around the tree. Her hand reached out, fingers brushing against the large ancient roots. She had a feeling she knew what was waiting for her. She had waited for this for a while now.

"Bella."

She stopped her finger tips still lightly touching a nearby root. He was behind her. For a few long beats of her heart she contemplated not turning around.

She turned slightly to look over her shoulder.

Her gold eyes clashed with a pair of green.

She drew in a breath before exhaling, "Edward."

His name ghosted across her lips tasting like a lover's caress. It amazed her that one name, two syllables, could mean so much to her. But at the same time that name felt as hallow as an empty promise.

She turned to fully face him and was stunned. He was so young.

"It's good to see you again." He said his shoulders sagging slightly as a friendly grin tugged at his lips.

"Yea," Bella said as she looked at the boy she had once loved. She hadn't realized how young he was before he was turned. Perhaps she just grew up. "It's nice to see you."

Silence settled between the two of them and Bella fought not to fidget. She didn't know what to say now that he was standing there in front of her. She once knew what to she wanted to say but she couldn't remember what it was.

Finally she closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Bella," Edward said taking a step forward with a frown.

"I mean it." Bella said with a wave of her hand. "I had no right for what I did to you. I let my anger dictate my actions and what I did was nothing short of murder. So I'm sorry."

Bella stood up straighter feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. She hadn't realized how guilty she felt about killing the Cullens. She might have not liked the Cullens, especially Edward after he dumped her, but that gave her no right to kill them.

"I should be the one apologizing." Edward said with a frown.

"Apologize for what Edward? What grievance have you committed that you need to apologize?" Bella said meeting his eyes calmly.

"I hurt you." Edward said with a frown.

"You hurt my pride. We are not the first young couple to break up. I took care of my mom for so long I forgot about my youth. If anything I'm the one most at fault since I could have handled it better." Bella said before snorting to herself. Her eyes drifted away to focus on a point past Edward's left shoulder. "I forgot I was still capable of dreaming. I constructed this fantasy around our relationship. I should have realized life isn't a dream that I can control."

"You've changed." Edward said making Bella's eyes focus on him once more.

"I've grown up. I know I'm not perfect but I work with what I have. I don't think I could live happily in any perfect life I dream up. So thank you for shattering my life." Bella said with a smirk. "You helped me live."

"But you shouldn't have had to face all of this. If only I could see I could keep you safe by being there." Edward said running a hand through his hair.

Bella surprised herself by crossing the distance between them. Her gloved finger reached up and pressed against his lips. She had to smile as his green eyes looked at her in surprise.

"We are given many decisions in life Edward. You made the choice you thought was best. Whatever challenges we face in life that's all we can do. Then we can learn from our mistakes." Bella said getting a small nod from Edward. "I don't blame you. I thought I did for a while, but that was just my ego. If I had stopped to think we wouldn't be here either."

Bella dropped her hand down to her side when Edward smiled slightly. "I still wish I could know what goes on in that head of yours."

"Thoughts are private things Edward." Bella teased as she took a step back. She opened her arms in an invitation of a hug, something she remembered giving Grant many times before when he was still too young and scared to ask. "Are you ready to put the past behind us?"

Edward eyed her for a few seconds before sighing. He looked like the world had been lifted from his shoulders. Then she grinned as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in a friendly hug. When he pulled away Bella felt like the world had shifted and everything was going to be alright.

The two soon found themselves sitting on some of the roots. Bella happily recounted stories for Edward about her life, all the while laughing with him. It felt like she had finally become friends with Edward since they could openly joke and laugh without the fear of stepping on each other's toes.

"Why don't you hate me anymore?" Edward said as he finished laughing. Bella had just told him of an incident she and her friends had in Germany a few months before they went to Italy.

"I don't hate you because it takes a lot of energy to hate someone. I need all the energy I can spare for the upcoming battle and for life in general. Grant alone can keep me on my toes." Bella said leaning back to lounge against the large tree behind her.

"Thank you," Edward stood up and walked over to a patch of roots to her left.

"You're welcome. Why are you thanking me?"

"For forgiving me, now I just have to forgive myself." Edward said grabbing something and walking back over.

"That's usually the hard part." Bella said with a smile getting a grin in return. "What do you have there?"

"This is yours. Alice said to give him to you when I saw you." Edward said making Bella raise an eyebrow.

She held out her hands and accepted the small bundle of fur Edward handed to her. She looked down in wonder as she saw the little puppy in her arms. It was so small she could hold it comfortably in one hand.

It looked like a wolf cub only it was a sandy brown color. Its eyes were closed and it looked like it was sleeping. She carefully turned it noticing small little plates of silver metal on its body, looking almost like a parody of armor.

"He's really cute. But why does Alice want me to have him?" Bella said tucking the pup safely in her lap.

"I'm not sure. She only said it was yours and you had to wait to name him. Something about you knowing when to name him but I didn't really understand it." Edward said with a helpless and amused shrug.

"So I just have to keep him safe until then huh?" Bella said with a smirk getting a nod. She then looked down at the sleeping pup with a warm smile. "Well little guy, I'll do everything necessary to make sure you're safe."

Edward cleared his throat making her look up. "I have to go now Bella."

"Okay, I hope you find your happiness wherever it is you're going." Bella said opening her arms for another hug. "It was good seeing you again."

"Yea, it was good seeing you as well." Edward said giving her a hug. After a brief moment of hesitation he also gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad to see you're happy. I hope you're strong enough for whatever life throws at you."

"Mad always tells me strength comes in all forms and sizes, so I think I can manage. Tell the others hello for me." Bella said as he pulled away.

"I will." Edward gave her one final grin before things disappeared into a bright white light.

Bella could tell she was awake. However she just relaxed with her eyes closed for a few minutes. She was extremely comfortable. She was curled up against a strong broad chest with a strong arm wrapped around her middle.

She would have liked to stay there forever. But her peaceful little world shattered as she heard her cell phone ringing. Growling lowly to herself she opened her eyes and slid towards the nightstand. She only moved enough to grab the buzzing electronic off the table.

"What is it?" She said snuggling back into her spot as the arm around her tightened.

"Everything is set, have your people ready to move in three hours."

"Jesus, Santa, would you give me some more warning next time? We females need our beauty-sleep." She said as she tried to sit up and failed. "I'll have them ready in four hours at the latest. Is that enough of a compromise?"

"Fine, but get ready to move. There is a small town a few minutes from Volterra. That is where you are headed and where our temporary headquarters will be set up."

"Cool, do we have a secured location to stay at until our attack?" Bella said a she wriggled a little trying to free herself, it only made her captor hold her closer.

"Yes, a small abbey is there that we will be staying at. Your children will be staying there with a few of our tech people and some Omerta operatives."

"Roger that, now do you mind? I have to get everyone up." Bella said trying to push the arm off of her with a frown.

"I will see you in four hours."

"Of course Santa, see you then." Bella said before pressing the end button and glaring at her bedmate. "You heard him Richard, time to get up."

"Do we have to?" She smiled at the sleepy grey eyes that peered at her.

"Yes, now get up. You can help me finish packing and getting the kids ready for our overnight stay at headquarters." She said getting a sigh from the sleepy werewolf, "Up sleepy head!"

"Yes ma'am." He said as he got up dragging her along.

"Hey!"

* * *

YAY! All of the Cullens have made their appearance and have exited stage left. Now all eyes are to be focused on the Volturi, and I have a few major scenes to write out. Meh, I can't wait for this to be over with so I can get to the X-men, Twilight honestly is boring me now.

REVIEW!

**Oh yea! Side note**: After I post the next chapter I'm taking down the poll on my author page. The results will heavily affect Bella in the next story, so if you would like your opinion heard you should see to it that you vote.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary**: In first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Sorry it's taken so long to get this out. The weather among other things have really made things difficult. I unfortunately got bowled over by Sandy but me and my family were luckly so I can't complain. That said it will be a while until I finish this story with the Holidays coming up. I will try and finish it before New Years but after that it will be a bit before the final conclusion to this series will see the light of day. In the meantime THANK YOU to all of those who reviewed, favorited, alerted, and/or follow this story.

**Disclaimer**: I'm very much poor as dirt so yea, no money being made here and all rights go to the proper people.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

His milky red eyes narrowed as he sat on his throne. Caius and Marcus were off organizing the guard. Some of the newest members still needed more guidance than others. He found Caius' enthusiasm to this whole situation a bit unsettling.

Shaking his head he sighed as he stood from his throne. He paced along the atrium for a few minutes, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes traced the large intricate shield etched into the marble below his feet.

The precisely drawn lines had slowly been changing color in the past few days. He watched as the black marble began to slowly turn red. Hardly anyone noticed but the few that did thought nothing peculiar about it. He wondered if Marcus took note of the shield yet.

Shaking his head Aro sighed once more. He walked over and sat down on his throne. The shield wasn't something he really had to worry about just yet. There was still time to deal with Bella Swan before hell opened up below his feet.

He really wished there was another way around this whole mess. It would be much easier to deal with things in a diplomatic fashion. At least then he could worry about other things, like the unleashing of his Master. But it seemed that such things were now part of a bygone era of nobles and kings.

He heard rather than saw the door open and close. "Master, things are on schedule."

"I see, thank you for informing me Alec. Does Caius or Marcus need my help at the moment?"

"No, but Master Caius wishes for me to tell you that we need a plan to distract the coming army."

"I see. Very well, I will get on that. Could you see to it that Corin is making the wives comfortable for now?"

"Of course Master," Aro heard the younger vampire leave as quietly and quickly as he had come.

He looked off into space for a few moments. He had done his best to find and secure all the most powerful vampires he could. Even now with their newest members in line things were looking to his favor.

He could still remember the day he accepted his Master's gift. Immortality… that was what he wanted more than anything. The ability to serve his Master forever, because his Master was the most gracious creature he had ever had the pleasure of knowing. Now however he realized things weren't as they were back then.

First he knew now what his Master truly was. The being was no god, but a mere mutant. A powerful mutant but still human in some regards. Bella Swan had taught him that much now. Though he doubted She could match his Master in power. Then again there were the rumors of her ability to block out psychic attacks.

He sighed before looking up at the ceiling. He wondered what would happen if he failed. Would she somehow find out about his Master and go after him? Aro didn't know if he could handle death knowing he failed to secure his Master's safe return. Though he didn't know where his Master was going to be appearing since it wasn't HIM who was unsealing his Master's tomb.

He had planned to wait until he had greater forces before unsealing his Master. There was little doubt that the great being would have an army to call upon, but Aro wanted another army to aid his Master. Now that was looking impossible since She was coming.

Shaking his head he stood up. It was fitting he supposed, that the newest vampires called Her the Cullen's Bane. It was the Olympian coven that started this mess after all. However even he was beginning to wonder how She gained such renown that just the mention of HER name invoked such terror in newborns.

He wasn't afraid of her. Dearest Isabella, she was intriguing. Ever since her name was first whispered in his hall he had been gathering information on her. It amazed him she could both attract and repulse the Cullens. He almost wished Edward hadn't pushed her away and had done the smart thing.

He could feel venom pool in his mouth as he thought of what sort of vampire the Coyote would become. That didn't even begin to take into account her friends. Silverpool especially intrigued him. Would she retain her ability to shift her molecular structure after she was turned? He dearly hoped so.

Of course the children would have to be kept secure until it was time for them to join their dear family. Already he knew they too would make superb vampires. He couldn't wait to see if Spectra would retain her abilities in sight. Or even if Darkshield would be able to manipulate his force fields after he was turned.

"Master, you wished to speak with me?"

Aro turned to see the vampire he really wanted to see. He smiled down at his ever loyal Felix. Even now with Demetri gone, the large powerful vampire had remained loyal. However Aro suspected it had something to do with the person hunting the Volturi down rather than any sort of loyalty to him.

A slow predatory grin curled his lips as Aro purred, "Ah yes, Felix, I have a special mission for you."

He left as soon as his Master dismissed him. He couldn't help the grin stretching across his face or the bounce in his step. Oh, he couldn't wait to get out of this cage and execute his Master's orders.

"What are you doing, Felix?"

He turned to the sharp question. He had to grin as her bright crimson eyes glared daggers in his direction. He didn't care really, being stuck so close to home made her a bit hissy. Then again of the Witch Brats she was the more emotional one. He always thought her brother pretend to have emotions to mock the rest of them.

"Master Aro gave me some orders, brat. Not all of us are stuck around here bottle feeding newborns." He said still with a grin.

"You would be if you weren't sucking on some brunette country girl. Your growing obsession is sickening." Jane said her face twisting in disgust.

"You're just upset that she's a woman and you'll never be." Felix said with a grin. "Besides, she's a very capable woman. None of those flimsy country girls can compare to her. She's like a true bottle of fine wine."

"I'll let you know when I drain her dry."

Felix wasn't sure when he moved really, just one moment he was grinning down at the little Witch Brat. Then her little neck was in his hand and he was pushing her into a convenient wall. He inhaled grinning as he tasted the fear wrapping around her slight form.

"Now listen closely, brat," He purred his thumb tracing the spot where her jugular once pumped blood through her once soft flesh. "You will not touch my Coyote. That belle is mine and if I catch you so much as baring your teeth in her direction I'll slowly break you apart one little piece at a time."

He chuckled lowly before hissing as he felt pain wrack through his body. However this pain had no hold over him anymore. Since first laying eyes on the Terror of Vampires he knew he'd be suffering a pain worse than anything Jane could imitate. In fact her power was a mere bee sting to what it felt like to have Bella's cold metal incased fingers slice through him like he was made of water.

He licked his lips and grinned. Jane's eyes were wide with fear now as she realized she couldn't fell him with her powers. It made venom pool in his throat and a deep dark pleasure curl in his stomach. He wondered if he could ever get his Coyote to look so helpless in his hands once he caught her.

"Nice try little girl," he chuckled darkly before throwing her down the hall. He turned his back towards her and threw his head back to let a deep chilling laugh escape his lips. All the while his feet carried him forward, each step taking him closer to his ultimate goal.

Jane on the other hand slid several meters across the cold marble floor. She refused to stop herself knowing the more space between him and she was for the best. However she couldn't stop the shudder of fear that wracked her body once she came to a full stop.

"Are you alright?"

Her wide crimson eyes looked up. Standing there with a truly concerned frown on his face was her brother. She took a few deep breathes and blinked twice. Then she launched herself up and wrapped her arms around his neck when she realized he was right there.

"I'm scared, Alec." Normally she would curse herself for sounding so young, but at the moment she was more concerned about the cold dread weighing down in her chest. "Everything has become so terrifying."

"Shh," Alec said as she felt him running his hand up and down her back. "No matter what, you and I are still in this together sister."

She closed her eyes. Years ago that statement could make everything alright. But now it felt like in the next few hours everything was going to be swallowed in flames. It was really only a small comfort knowing she probably wouldn't be alone when that time came.

"I love you, brother."

"…I love you too, sister."

* * *

Yay! Yes a bit of the Volturi in there. Now I can focus on the last few chapters. After that it will be the final story in the series and hopefully I can lay to rest this project and move onto other things. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.

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Oh! **NOTE:** The poll is now closed and I'll be taking it down from my profile. The results will be taken into count for the next story.


	26. Chapter 26

She could taste the night in the air. Behind her men were getting ready for battle. She could hear the clanking of metal and scraping of wood as they got weapons and armor in order. Omerta had given them the worse news imaginable when they made it to headquarters.

There were no humans left in Volterra.

She narrowed her eyes at the darkness just outside the window. The Italian officials saw to it that all humans had been evacuated in a hundred mile radius of Volterra. Just as they had gotten to the church they were using as a headquarters the last families had been forcibly removed for their safety.

That didn't mean she was pleased. She almost wished Omerta had found a way to discretely evacuate the human residents before they had become vampire food. But she didn't hold it against her allies. In the end only the werewolves were not really considered human among the lot of them. She knew humanity always made mistakes. She was a prime example of that.

"Ma'am, everything is in order." A man said behind her and to her left shoulder.

"Good, tell everyone to get some rest. Sunrise is in three hours."

"Yes ma'am," She didn't need to see him to know he saluted her. Instead she listened for his footsteps to fade towards the waiting soldiers.

She continued to look out the window waiting to see the light on the horizon. She wondered if Jasper ever felt like this when he was in the war. The sickening adrenaline feeling that made her mouth water but her throat dry. It was a sort of personal hell as she waited for the hours to tick down.

She went over every plan in her head. She spotted and discarded flaws as she went along. She knew by now that war wasn't perfect. It was even less perfect now since her enemy had their back against the figurative wall. She didn't expect anything less from them than complete desperation.

She had never considered herself as someone religious, but in those still dark hours before light crested the horizon… she prayed.

It was nearly two hours before sunrise when she finally moved. She knew she wouldn't be getting any rest, but she could get ready. She had to keep herself busy if she didn't want to dwell on the possible outcome of the next few hours.

She licked her lips as she made her way to her room. Her feet quivered in their boots as her hands clenched and unclenched. Her eyes started shifting back and forth to every shadow in her way, tracking every minute movement that entered her field of vision.

She focused on her clothes the moment she entered her room. The mirror didn't allow for much but she could see quite a bit of what she wore. She was surprised by the armor Santa gifted her and her friends. It was experimental from what she was told, a mixture of Kevlar and spider silk. Apparently some hotshot in New York came up with it.

She smirked to herself as she looked at her brown outfit. To the naked eye her jacket, pants, boots, and gloves looked like plane old leather. But if one were to take a closer look they would see these items were too soft and silky to be leather.

"Alice would so have loved this stuff." She said to herself as her lips curled to one side exposing a gleaming fang.

Her favorite thing about the whole outfit was that the material didn't make her armor any less affective. In fact most of her armor plates just slide over the fabric like it was a part of her skin. It truly gave her whole outfit an interesting affect.

When she felt her armor nearly shift under her skin she sat down at the desk turned vanity in her temporary room. She picked up a brush and began to carefully drag it through her untamable strands. She felt her stomach tightened slightly and twist before she sighed. Her nimble fingers slipped through the brown mess and began to weave it around itself.

The braid that she finished was thick and still wild. Some of her irate curls ruthlessly stuck out making her roll her eyes. However as it slid seductively over her shoulder she had to grin as she caught the reflection of her hair in the mirror. She practically had a busy tail gently swinging to a stop behind her.

"Coyote indeed," She said with a chuckle before glancing up at the time. She had called her mother earlier. While she didn't get into too many details to worry the poor woman, she did get to say her last goodbye in case the worst happened.

"You're not resting are you?"

She glanced up into the mirror to lock eyes with calm gray. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders and she had to smile leaning back against the equally strong chest. She noted he was wearing cotton rather than armor but she expected as much.

"I'm already to hyper." She said resting her head against his shoulder. "How are Father Ferrara and Ray doing? Are the spells almost ready?"

"Yes, although those Vatican lackeys were nearly sent into a tizzy when they learned real werewolves would be out on the battle field." Richard said with a chuckle before nuzzling her neck. "How did Ray come up with the idea to find a spell so we can transform willingly in the daylight?"

"She didn't, I had her look into it. Even with your inhuman speed when not transformed these vampires are faster than you. Since we're going to have more than a few completely normal humans out there, we needed something to level the playing field a bit." She said closing her eyes and enjoying the strength surrounding her.

"I see, well Ricci and Marino are impressed so are the others we gathered to help." He said in between laying gentle kisses on her neck.

"Are you ready for the upcoming battle?" She said gently pushing him away. She never knew werewolves could be so affectionate.

"Yes, but there is one thing I wanted to do before hand. That's why I came looking for you." He said making her raise an eyebrow before looking up at him with a dull look.

"I'm in no mood for anything but fighting right now." She said getting a chuckle from him.

"I figured, but I wanted to give you this." He said pressing a small box into her hand.

Curious she turned to open the small box. Her eyes widened as she saw the beautiful silver looking ring with three gleaming diamonds on it. She blinked at it before looking up at him questioningly.

"I bought it a while back. Its platinum not silver…" He said shifting slightly. "I wanted to give it to you before the fight."

"Why?" She said still stunned getting a chuckle from him.

"I was planning on waiting until we were settled in England to ask you to marry me. But with how big this fight is going to be, I probably would have kicked myself if I didn't give that to you if something went wrong." Richard said before giving her a gentle hug. "You don't have to answer until things have settled. But I don't want to regret not allowing you know the depth of my feelings for you."

She could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes. "Richard, I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything for now. Focus on the task at hand and when you're ready…I'll do my best to be there waiting." He said making her frown before leaning against him and closing the box.

"Don't say that, you'll make me more worried than I am." She said putting the box on the table. For a moment she thought back to everything she knew about the werewolf. "You can propose to me properly later, so I can properly accept it."

"Accept?"

"You're like my rock Richard. All those years of vampire hunting, I always knew I could count on you when swinging through England after we met. I would be lying to myself if I said I didn't want to have you there to lean on when I needed someone the most." She said looking up to find a slowly growing smile on his handsome face. The gentle emotion in his eyes almost seemed foreign to her but she recognized it from the time years ago when her mother met her stepdad.

"I love you." He said making her smile in return.

"I love you too." She said just before he leaned down to capture her lips with his. The moment would have been perfect if she hadn't noticed the sky starting to lighten outside the window of her room.

The outside air was cool on her tongue as she inhaled the morning sunlight. They were waiting just outside of Volterra. It was almost excruciating but she was almost giddy with what was coming. She was never one for confrontation before so it struck her as odd that she now reveled in it.

She looked over to her right to find Madison bouncing on her heels next to her. She could see the slow shimmering of silver in the mutant's skin and clothes. She also was amused to see her friend's long braid almost seemed to wag back and forth like an impatient puppy.

Turning to her left she smiled some more. Laura stood proud and emotionless. Her cool dark brown eyes gazed down at the city from their perch. Despite being crouched, her aunt was able to convey a sense of dominance that would make any apex predator proud.

"Are you two ready?" She asked calmly turning back to look at the city. They had a clear view of their target resting regally among the vacant buildings guarding it.

"Yes," Laura said calmly.

Madison giggled, "Let's play."

She took a step and let herself fall from her perch. Her landing was surprisingly silent on the stiff ground. As she stood, Coyote briefly looked at the two landing before taking off towards their goal.

A few steps before they reached their destination a wave of magic washed over the area. She bit back a snort and withheld a shiver as her instincts told her of the event. She could see X-23 do the same even as Silverpool slipped through the cracks and locking mechanism of the door in front of them.

The door opened and a silver hand beacon them inside with a quick signal that the coast was clear. X-23 watched her back as she went in and spread out her senses. The door closed and they moved.

As they made their way towards their target, she felt her armor slide into place. She also could hear the faint sound of X-23's claws extending. She grinned as the first vampire they saw unwittingly walked right into them. He was dispatched so quickly he didn't have time to widen his eyes, let alone scream.

He knew something was wrong as a distinct shift rippled through the air. It made his red eyes narrow and a shiver go through him. He stood abruptly and looked at Marcus, whose dark crimson eyes were wide. At the nod from his brother he turned to an annoyed Caius.

"Send out the troops, she's here." He ordered but it really was unnecessary as the ground around them shook with a powerful explosion.

"Is Felix back from his errand?" Marcus said as the three stood from their thrones.

"Not yet my lord." Alec said from his spot near the door.

"Then we must do our best to keep dear Isabella from breaching our citadel. We are woefully behind schedule." Aro said with a frown.

"Huh now that is something I can actually agree with him on." A voice said near the door.

Aro watched as a silvery substance pooled on the floor as it slid under the door. The substance slithered out of reach of Alec going straight towards the three vampire leaders. Aro took a step back even as a new born jumped into the puddle.

"Awe, the kiddy wants to play with Sliverpool. She likes to play." The puddle said as the baby vampire was ripped to shreds.

"Mutant," Caius hissed as he stepped towards the puddle.

"That's what I am," Sliverpool said as the silver substance suddenly rose up to take the shape of a blonde haired woman. "Lovely place you got here but I would have fired your interior decorator. There is far too much marble."

Another shockwave rippled through the earth shaking the room around them. Sliverpool looked up at the ceiling with a smile that reminded Aro of a mental patient. The smile was large enough to take up most of her face but as cold as ice.

"Looks like you're in trouble. Coyote and my friends are having fun playing with your baby vamps." Sliverpool said before emitting a deep chilling chuckle. "Come on, let's play!"


	27. Chapter 27

Coyote hissed a sharp breath as she turned another corner. In the back of her mind she hoped her pack was well, but at the moment she was staring down a hall full of bright red eyed baby vamps. She grinned a growl, and rushed forward with claws extended.

The scent of blood and sweat mingled as she spun. Her claws dug into cold hard flesh that sparkled in the beams of light. Her golden eyes glinted with gleeful malice as she effortlessly sliced through the neck of another vampire.

Her laughter sounded more like a cackling howl but she could care less. Barking a spell, she felt the predatory pleasure of a good kill rush through her as the hall filled with ash. Above her the ceiling shook and gave away a bit as the bulk of her pack made their way through the ghost town around her.

Suddenly something on her waist crackled with static, "Coyote!"

Almost pouting she lifted the radio she was forced to carry, "This is Coyote, go ahead Santa."

"How are things going in the clock tower? And are you growling?"

"I'm not growling, much. Things are going well. I had to split up with X-23 and Silverpool several forks back. This place is like a labyrinth just like Omerta said. How are things going with you?" She said prowling forward her eyes quickly sliding over everything that crossed her path. She smiled as she heard a rather distinctive howl on the wind.

"They're going better now that the wolves have shifted. ETA to your position is twenty minutes. I can't say if the town will be standing by then though."

"Roger that, see you soon Santa. Now if you excuse me, I smell fear." Coyote purred as she looked at the door she stumbled upon.

The door was ornate like the rest of the stronghold. However Coyote grinned as she saw the wood hidden under the black paint. Her fangs glinted in the slowly growing sunlight and her eyes flashed a second before she charged.

* * *

Corin tried to repress the shiver that came over her as she felt each quake of the building. She had to protect the wives, but it was difficult to focus when she knew just beyond those stone walls an army was waiting for them. She glanced over to the wives before adding a bit more of her power to calm them.

No one spoke, not a sound was made, it would make it harder for their pursuers to find them. She supposed that was why she felt like she jumped a foot as the door shook. She turned and glared at the offending object as if to make it keep quiet.

She hoped it was one of the newborns getting antsy. There should be a hall full of them out there. Shakily she glanced at Jane who was standing with her guarding the wives.

The young looking vampire narrowed her crimson eyes. With a determined frown the blonde stepped between her and the door. It wasn't a good sign, neither was the soft cursing on the other side of the door nor the sudden sound of claws gouging wood.

"Jane, what are you doing?" Corin said wondering when her voice became so shaky or quiet.

"There's a mutant on the other side of the door." Jane said before lifting her head. "Take the wives through the passage behind the grandfather clock. You should reach the safety of the throne room before the door gives way."

"No you go," Corin said putting a hand on the smaller vampire's shoulder. "I'll do my best to distract them. Besides, you know that passage better than I do."

Corin watched as those bright crimson eyes looked up at her. Often times she thought of the Witch Twins as the children of Volturi, but the vulnerability she saw hidden in the girl's eyes gave her strength. She didn't know how to comfort another being like others could, so she let her power briefly wash over the smaller vampire.

She prayed for Jane to do as she was told. She knew Alec would be with the Masters. While separately the twins were powerful, together she knew they could fell armies. She knew her Masters wouldn't fault her for placing the wives in Jane's care for this.

The sound of cracking wood shattered the silence of the room. Corin looked up at the weakening door with a frown. While the door itself was thick oak, she knew it would be no match for the terror trying to claw its way into the room.

"You don't have a lot of time, go!" Corin said pushing Jane's shoulder to the wives who were sitting in the middle of the room.

Corin was almost relieved when she felt Jane nod. She was almost at peace when she heard the secret door open then click closed. She was completely terrified however, when she saw the tips of what looked to be gold gauntlets break through the wood.

She swallowed a whimper as those metal incased fingers ripped the lock right out of the wood. She wondered if the door opened as slowly as it seemed or if her terror only made it seem that way. She felt a cold fear pool in her stomach as her crimson eyes locked with glinting gold. She wished she could sweat when she saw that predatory grin widen, letting her know Coyote could easily tell she was nearly blind with terror.

* * *

X-23 moved through the halls with silent grace. Her objective was simple, hunt and kill. If she were more like Wolverine, Sabertooth, Coyote, or even Daken, she would have let her lips curl in a smile.

The air was only still when the explosions were silent. It heightened her adrenaline and made her mouth water in anticipation. She knew her prey was hiding from her, and she was going to sniff them out if it was the last thing she did.

It was because she was so taut with alertness she heard it. Freezing, she automatically felt herself crouch a bit. The faint echoing of small feet rushed around her among the pillars she was surrounded by.

Her brown eyes narrowed as she caught a glimpse of a small object dashing in and out of sight. Her mind registered flowing curls and a white flimsy dress. However these vampires she was dealing with were much different than the ones she had dealt with before.

She wondered if they were created to unsettle the men of the army, or if, the vampires in charge were trying to catch Coyote off guard with these creations. Somewhere in the back of her mind X-23 felt almost sorry for all involved. A tiny voice, that was slowly growing each passing day she spent with her family, was telling her it was a shame that it was she who would face these abominations.

She squashed the voice for now. If HYDRA taught her one thing, it was how to be a killer. Without permission she felt one corner of her lips curl ever so slightly.

"Come out, little ones." She purred in Italian. "Don't you wish to play?"

The giggle that responded sounded almost like silver bells.

"How about we play hide-and-seek then? I'm very good at that game. My mother taught me how to be an expert." X-23 said her eyes moving swiftly to catch the fast moving object her ears could easily pinpoint.

She used the giggles to hide her movement. She knew she accomplished her goals when the laughter abruptly stopped. She knew children were too easily distracted, Darkshield and Spectra taught her that much at least.

The knee high vampires didn't stand a chance. She was too old a predator and they too young as vampires. The room was filled with terrified screams of children as she sought out each vampire in the room. She was almost amused when they tried to give her puppy-dog eyes.

Too bad for them they no longer had any water in their systems…

… And X-23 was not known for her humanity anyway.

* * *

If there was one time Felix wished he could spare a second to curse, now was it. His errand had gone fine until it hit a snag. Not only did he not expect such a large army to be surrounding his prey, he wasn't expecting werewolves to be guarding said army.

Nevertheless he had managed to slowly and skillfully fulfill the hardest part of his errand. Now all he had to do was get back to the citadel without losing his precious cargo or dying. That was easier said than done.

Almost as soon as he had crossed into the city limits, he had someone tailing him. It took only one backward glance to realize that someone was the more tenacious and feral mutant among his Belle's brood. The man his Belle called Uncle.

Felix had dared to harm his precious cargo by running into a group of vampires destined to face a small rocket launcher. He barely managed to make it out of the group before the explosion threatened to knock him off his feet. Luckily the sack he was holding was unharmed and not bleeding. On top of that he had lost the mutant.

He lost one enemy only to find a very large and very angry werewolf snapping at his heels.

The large silver furred beast had silver eyes. It took Felix almost off guard to find a fully transformed werewolf chasing him in sunlight on what was supposed to be a new moon. Regardless Felix pressed on knowing he had to make it to his Masters.

It didn't matter really if the large vampire made it to the throne room in one piece. But he knew if there was even a speck of blood on the sack he carried, then all his hard work would be for nothing. Not to mention Master Aro would not be pleased with him.

Provided of course his Masters were alive when he got to them.

Felix pushed himself to move faster as he saw the clock tower looming ever closer. He was only vaguely aware of the wolf still nipping at his heels. Or the two soft whines from the sack he was holding.

He knew time was not on his side.


	28. Chapter 28

The room was tense, had been since she slipped into it. Not that she made them any more comfortable. But for the first time she was laying eyes on their true targets.

The stuck up blond reminded her of some Malfoy knock off from the Harry Potter movies. Only he had less frown lines and could pull off the aristocratic look better. She never did understand what people saw in English people. Then again her parents could trace their heritage back to England so maybe she was just biased.

The brunette with curly hair was perhaps the only vampire she ever saw that looked…droopy. He reminded her of a President. She wasn't sure which President since she wasn't one for American history, but it was one of the old ones. Probably one of the Presidents between Presidents number twenty to thirty though.

The other brunette however made her lips twitch. Somehow she knew Johnny Depp's Willy Wonka would get along with him. He had the same large child molester grin at least. It seems like he was unafraid of eating his Fruit Loops this morning.

"Do you know what Fruit Loops are?" Silverpool asked tilting her head at the ring leader. "And you're Aro right?"

"Well, yes I am." Mister Ring Leader said with a shit eating grin. "But I'm afraid I don't know what Fruit Loops are."

"Shame," She said bouncing on her heels. "I guess you don't eat your Wheaties either."

She allowed her body to shift while she stood there. While it might be disconcerting for those watching, it allowed her to get a full look at the room around her. She easily dodged when she saw the baby vampire charge her.

"Tsk, tsk, don't you know it's impolite to attack someone from behind?" She said as her liquid arm shot out and wrapped itself around the vampire. She could almost feel her fingers grip and dig into the cold hard flesh before she yanked her arm back.

The baby vampire was reduced to a fine powdery substance just moments before her silvery hand returned to her side.

The first attack seemed to be the signal for the others. She slipped around and even through some of the vampires she spotted hidden in the room. All the while she noticed the three leaders sitting on their thrones watching her. An older but young looking vampire carefully observing her like an obedient dog stood next to them.

If there was one thing Silverpool loved about her power, it was the fact that it made biting her skin nigh impossible. In fact she could feel it when one of the vampires tried to munch on her and all they got was a mouth full of liquid. She also could feel it when the vampires swallowed pieces of her in their attempt to inject her with venom.

She let them.

Admittedly she only had so much mass to go around. She could also die if she stretched herself too much. But she had a plan and that meant allowing these vampires to claw, tear, bite, and swallow her metallic form.

If asked Silverpool would say it was more of an instinct than an actual feeling when she hit a point of being too far stretched. Some part of her mind seemed to supply her with the feeling of stretching a muscle too far so almost automatically she pulled back. Like an overly stretched rubber band she snapped back with devastating ease.

Pieces of vampires some as small as a few millimeters went scattering to the wind. She even lashed out with the pyro spell Eden taught her as her body consolidated. Once she was back in one spot she solidified from her waist up to grin at the vampire in the room.

They're defenses were now cut dramatically down to a minimal number.

Her grin widened to an impossible level at the look Aro had. He had seemed so sure of himself when he first seen her. Now his eyes were slightly wider and his grin was smaller.

The building shook with an explosion.

Silverpool lower her body so she was sliding across the floor. Her body occasionally shifting from flesh to metal and back again. She was zeroing in on the stunned vampires when a door off to the side slammed open.

* * *

X-23 narrowed her eyes as she heard the sound of claws on marble. She has just finished clearing the last hall she found before reaching a dead end. Slowly she turned before taking off in the direction of the claws.

Sliding into a hall she caught sight of a large silver wolf. However a scent was on the air that made her freeze. It was a scent she knew.

Her feet sent her hurtling forward after the wolf. The massive animal took up most of the hall, but just beyond the wolf she saw him. It was the vampire Coyote was hell bent on killing.

Her eyes narrowed as her pupils sharpened. The sack he was carrying was what had caught her attention. She figured the wolf as well noticed and that was why he gave chase.

She pushed herself to catch up with the wolf. It took only a huff of air for her to recognize the wolf as well. She grinned and soon caught up to the beast.

"Richard," She growled lowly as she flashed the claws of her hands. The wolf huffed back a greeting before they focused on running down their target.

They would have to be careful not to harm the sack. It would be tricky. But X-23 was not going to fail and she doubted Coyote's wolf would either.

* * *

Coyote looked around the vacant room with a frown. She knew something was off, since the vampire she had just killed was obviously guarding something. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She smelt the vague differences in the scents of the room. Suddenly her senses locked on three trails. Her eyes snapped open and focused on the grandfather clock seemingly embedded in the stone wall.

She walked over to the clock and examined the wall. Her sharp eyes found were the door was, but she didn't know how to open it. Instead she began to work on forcing it open.

Her claws caused sparks to fall to her feet with each swipe of stone. Her claws might not be as strong as X-23 or even her grandfather's, but they could do damage. She could feel her claws being sharpened with each strike.

She grinned and pawed harder at the door. Once the stone started to be worn away, she began punching. The wood door she tore through to get into the room was an easier enemy. But soon even this door fell to her persistence.

She carefully eyed the passage that was revealed to her. With some caution she began to walk down the hall, aware that with each explosion a few pieces of ceiling fell to the floor. However she pushed forward wanting to get to the prey that thought they could escape her.

"Coyote," Santa's voice was static at her hip.

"Yea," She said after grabbing her radio.

"Be aware a vampire managed to get past our perimeter."

"Was it stopped?" She said dodging a few falling bricks.

"No, he snuck in earlier in the night. We weren't aware he was there until he made his escape back towards the citadel."

"Do you know what his objective was?" She said with a frown.

"I can't say for sure." Santa seemed reluctant to tell her something.

"Coyote," Daken's voice was more than a bit feral.

"What's up?"

"The vampire was that bastard Felix," Daken growled making her frown, "he captured Darkshield and Spectra."

Coyote cursed. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out for him."

She put the radio back on her hip and rushed down the corridor. She no longer cared if she was ambushed or got caught in a ceiling collapse. Her cub needed her, and she was going to find him.

She noticed a door at the end of the corridor and ran towards it. She wasn't sure what she would find on the other side, but she hoped these bastards prayed for mercy after they died. She wasn't going to give them any when she got her claws on them.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes I have updated. I have not abandoned this fic. I've just had some personal issues arise that prevented me from writing.

**Disclaimer**: I only own my characters and receive no money from this creative endeavor.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Silver grey eyes narrowed upon the vampires that burst into the room. Her lips curled seductively into a predatory grin as the smallest female slammed the door closed to lean against it. She could tell from one single glance that these three vampires were important to the leaders before her.

"Jane!" Alec said looking ready to jump to the blonde, but his eyes glanced at the pool of curling silver watching the newly arrived trio.

A breath settled in her lungs. Tension slinked through her form. She grinned and let her body fall into liquid.

She shot forward to wrap the three female vampires up in her grasp.

She rammed straight into the vampire suddenly between her and her target. The breath hissed between her teeth as she attacked semi-solid. She pushed him down to the floor as he hissed at her.

"Alec!"

He struggled, punched, pushed, and continued to hiss. He was smart not to let her near his face or to let her wrap too far around him. Still she reared back, a liquid arm solidifying into a trident of deadly knives.

They lunged.

She barred a mouth of razor fangs as she tried to push her knives closer and closer to his face. Cracks were forming along his hand as he shoved her morphed arm away from him. All the while her mass weighed him down, covering him in a blanket of gleaming silver he tried desperately to pull himself from with his free hand.

Suddenly her mouth opened, growing wider and wider as her features began to obscure. His eyes widened at the sight above him. For the first time since becoming a vampire he felt true fear at the grotesque sight his opponent became.

Above him was a gaping maw of glinting silver fangs reminiscent of shark teeth. Rows upon rows of teeth all designed to rip and tear. Where there once was a face was now just a dark silvery abyss that could have clawed its way out of hell.

He could feel himself growing weak at the sight. His hands shook and he began to pant with unneeded breath. Only the tension brought on by terror let his strength keep the hand of knives from slamming into his face.

"Get away from him! You silver demon!"

His vision was suddenly obscured by flying chunks of stone and liquid silver. A pained cry filled the air while silver splashed across the floor. Suddenly the knives he was holding lost their shape.

He frantically wiped the silver substance off of him as the unholy shriek echoed on the stone walls. He kept an eye on the liquid as he scrambled to his feet. Red eyes glancing briefly at his beloved sister.

Jane held two stone legs in her hands. The only indicator she had just smashed one of the stone benches into the mutant attacking him. Her eyes flashed in anger but her hands shook and her stance was slightly unsteady.

"Are you okay?" Jane said as they watched the silver pool together.

"Yes," He said as steady as he could. He ignored the way he shook. The almost faint, haunting, feeling of a heart long dead beating fiercely in panic.

He watched the silver cautiously. However he noticed how it moved slower than it had previously moved. Each few drops quiver, sliding together in a slow antagonizing crawl.

"I think you hurt her." Alec said standing up straight as he watched the liquid mutant in awe.

"It could be a ploy." Jane said as the two moved to put themselves between their leaders and the slowly convalescing woman.

Alec didn't think so. He saw how some of the drops of silver didn't even twitch. He also noticed the growing pool seemed to undulate and ripple as if it was throbbing in pain.

He felt a pull toward the puddle. His fingers twitched to reach out and touch it. For a brief moment it was no different than a small pool of warm rain water.

Suddenly it snapped.

All the small drops of silver came alive and darted together with lightning quick speeds. The puddle rippled and shook. A vortex swirled to life while the puddle glinted in the light.

"Fucking bitch!" A metallic almost unholy voice vibrated from the puddle. "That fucking hurt you whore!"

Alec forced himself not to take a step back. Liquid silver swirled, rippled, and folded over itself, all indicating the mutant was seething. It didn't ease the tension radiating from his chest to know that there was indeed a way to harm this silver she-devil.

Then it stopped. Still as a placid lake, it remained calm. Then it stretched and shifted colors.

Blending perfectly into the floor.

"That isn't good." Jane said looking around trying to find where the demon was. Alec kept his eyes on the spot where the puddle had been. A shuddering jolt ran up his spine as the main doors were thrown open and quickly shut.

Felix stepped back with a sack over his shoulder glaring at the door he had just come from. He paused and turned to find his leaders, their wives, and two shaken Witch Twins. He blinked at them before cringing at the howl coming from the hallway he had just ran down.

"Well, this had escalated into a very bad problem. Felix, do be careful, you may just be standing on Silverpool." Aro said clasping his hands together. "But we can get out if we use the door to the secret passages."

They turned to the door Jane and the wives had come in from. A loud bang came from the main doors making the vampires inch towards their other escape route. All the while they carefully tried to not fall into the trap Silverpool set at their feet.

Then the golden tips of a metal gauntlets pierced the door they were heading to.

"We're trapped." Felix said with a slight frown.

"It looks like it." Aro said with a sigh as the building shook above them.

"Felix," Marcus suddenly said gaining their attention, "why is that sack glowing red?"

* * *

YAY! Things are finally coming together for the final battle. Don't mind Mad, she isn't as psychotic as she would like you to believe. Anyway I'll do my best to finish up this story and move on to more X-men, but I've been told I may be moving in the next few months. I will do as best as I can given the circumstances of my life.

Thank you!

REVIEW!


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary**: In the first chapter.

**poorasdirt**: Yes, another chapter and soon this story will be over. I can't wait to get the Twilight side of things over and done with. Anyway hope you enjoy this and the next chapter should be out soon if life doesn't get in the way.

**Disclaimer**: I only own my OCs and the story line.

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Multitasking, it was a new skill he had been working on. In fact his family insisted he learned how to divide his attention a bit. He knew from them that if he focused on one thing he could miss a potential danger.

Still it took more concentration that he was willing to admit to. He poured kinetic energy into the rough scratchy burlap surrounding him and Eyes. All the while he stitched a shield around them to avoid getting caught in the inevitable blast.

A steady red glow enveloped them, his power giving a faint static hiss. A small hand on his shoulder gained his attention and he looked into pure white. Eyes smirked at him and nodded.

His lips tugged upward.

Their world exploded with a near deafening boom.

The world spun and he tumbled with it. Eyes occasionally crashed into him as they were rolled in his shield. Soon, they stopped moving.

"I will never kick a hamster ball again." He declared sitting up to assess their situation.

It looked dire.

But there were some points in their favor, he surmised. The two were no longer in the clutches of the insane vampire after his mere. They may be in a room full of vampires but they had rolled a good few meters away.

And his explosion knocked Felix on his face.

The other vampires slowly stood from their braced positions. The two youngest looking vampires looking over at them like they were a ticking time bomb. The older ones looking at them with predatory interest.

He touched his shield and hid his relief. Nothing short of a direct hit from a bomb could break his shield. For now, the two were safe in their energy cocoon.

"How long can you keep up the shield Dark?" Eyes said holding his shoulder again.

"A few minutes, that explosion took a lot out of me." He admitted glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "Why?"

"X-23 and Richard are just beyond the main doors. Coyote will be in the room shortly." Eyes said making him smirk.

"Think you can lift us out of their reach Spectra?" He said making her smile.

A weightlessness took over him, making his stomach momentarily drop to his feet. It was a weird sensation, like he had been scooped up by a large invisible hand that he couldn't feel. Still he could almost taste the energy lingering in the air as they were hoisted into the rafters.

He didn't like the feel of helplessness the flight brought out in him. Still once his feet were firmly on solid wood he let out a soft sigh. He also pulled in the power around them maintaining the solid shield.

He didn't pull all the power in though. He felt the air vibrating at the small trickle of circulating energy he was putting out. This way his shield would be able to spring to life instantaneously to protect them, without draining his reservoir of power.

A crash drew his attention down. A smirk over took his face. A pissed off golden armored mutant let out a feral roar.

"Coyote! Up here!" Eyes called down waving at their leader.

His mere tilted her head and looked at them from the corner of her eye. The pleased smile she flashed would have been better suited for the canine she got her code name from. Her golden eyes briefly flashed with a silent command.

He felt himself instantly nod.

He knew the look she sent him. He and Eyes had a front row seat to the upcoming vampire massacre. Unless one of their teammates got them out of the building, they were staying there until the whole fiasco was over.

He grabbed Eye's hand. The sudden taste of electricity tickled his tongue. Then the building shook from an explosion outside.

"Ah, Isabella, I have heard so much about you." The dark haired leader of the vampires said. He clasped his hands together and grinned at Coyote. For a brief moment Grant wondered if the vampire was sane.

"So you're Aro." Coyote said eyes narrowing and a slight frown tugging at her lips. She stood up straighter and let her eyes roam over Aro's form. Then she locked eyes with the vampire. "I thought you'd be so much more scarier or sophisticated looking. Guess all your minions are delusional."

"I do not control what children think Isabella." Aro said shaking his head in amusement. "I merely read their minds. But I can see they were not exaggerating when it comes to you. You are exquisite."

"Thank you," Coyote said giving him a small shallow nod of her head.

The main doors crashed open, revealing two figures. One a massive beast covered in white fur with nearly glowing gray eyes. The other, a sleek dark young woman that radiated cool danger.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought company." Coyote said with the faintest of smirks.

"W-Werewolf," A blond haired male vampire stuttered looking at the snarling beast.

In the quiet Grant could faintly make out Aro whispering, "Impossible."

"It is unlikely, yes, but impossible, hardly." Coyote purred as the wolf Grant knew as Richard took a few steps into the room, X-23 at his side.

The wolf rose to his hind legs, reaching an impressive seven feet tall. A low growling snarl stretched his muzzle, letting all of them see the sharp white teeth that lined his jaw. Tension made fur stand on end as the wolf waited for Coyote's command.

X-23 was no less intimidating. Grant had heard she was trained to be a killer, but outside of her social awkwardness he hadn't given it much thought. Not until that moment as he looked at her stony expression and saw nothing but cold bloodlust in her eyes.

Suddenly movement on the floor below caught his attention. He could have sworn he saw the tiles shift around the younger vampire's feet. Peering closer he could almost sense a slight disruption in the kinetic energy below them.

Something, or someone, was snaking their way around the two younger looking vampires. The barest hint of silver made him guess just who it was. But he didn't think he was right until he noticed Eyes' smirk.

No one moved. No one spoke. It was as if someone had frozen time and they were waiting for someone to press play again.

Then out of nowhere thick green vines began crawling down the walls from the ceiling. The group below heard the sound of plaster chipping and looked up. Gran also looked up and blinked in awe.

Eden was descending from the windows above, and she did not look happy.

The green haired mutant sat on a large blood red bloom looking like a goddess. Her violet eyes flashed with hidden anger and the vines around her slithered in agitation. Slowly the bloom lowered closer and closer to the ground as several vines came down to wrap around the beam the children were sitting on.

Grant smirked as the questing plant life slipped closer to his position. He lowered his powers fully as a small thread of green made it to his wrist. He was slightly disappointed he'd miss the fight, but he relaxed as the thicker vines wrapped him in a gentle cocoon.

The last glimpse he saw was of the vampires staring up at Eden in unrestrained awe. Then he felt himself being pulled upward in the vines. Once he saw daylight again he figured the fighting started by how quickly the vines retreated back into the clock tower.

"There you are chico." A voice said and he looked up to see Viento grinning down at him. "You and the chica gave us a scare. What did we tell you about getting captured?"

"Sorry Viento," Grant said with a mischievous grin, "he snuck up before I could pull up a shield."

"Si, but now you have to come with me. I'll take you to Cheshire." Dante said with a grin. Grant grinned back knowing he was in good hands. He couldn't wait to see how Dolph was doing on the battlefield.

A stray lightning bolt came out of nowhere before a large explosion shook the ground.

Grant looked over and smirked. He could see Raiu, otherwise known as Hiro, and Daken tearing apart vampires left and right. No doubt the two Japanese men would be in the clock tower shortly to help the others.

Grant had a feeling they'd definitely win this war.

* * *

YAY! I know, there wasn't much fighting going on. I tried several times to get into the final battle but had to scrap each one. For some reason the pre-battle monologue just didn't fit no matter how I wrote it. So I came up with this instead. Hopefully it's good but I'd be the first to admit this wasn't my best chapter yet.

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	31. Chapter 31

Summary: In the first chapter.

poorasdirt: Can't say much, just life got in the way. Someone close to me passed away and hadn't felt like writing much, not to mention I'm right in the middle of a move. I know, excuses, excuses, but I managed to find a place with Internet so I'm getting this up while I can. I've only managed to read through it once so if there are mistakes I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: I only own the characters I create. The rest belong to Stephanie Meyers (sp?) and Marvel.

ENJOY!

* * *

The thick green vines snaked their way toward the ground. Some of the vines were brown in color as well, and took root next to the doors. Then as if Mother Nature herself commanded it, the brown vines bloomed into strong thick oaks, barring any escape from the room.

Coyote smirked as she saw the vampires realize they were now trapped. She knew they would be desperate now they had no escape. Still Eden would do all she could to keep their prey where it belonged, in the fighting arena.

"Jane!"

Coyote's eyes snapped towards the younger looking vampires in the room. She caught a brief glinting of thick silver chains forcing the blonde to her knees before she turned back to Aro. She had caught Silverpool's scent when she entered, but it was nice to know her friend was there to help.

Instead she focused on her target, Aro. The vampire, while wearing a shit-eating grin, held himself taut with a calculating gleam in his eyes. She didn't let him much time to formulate any plan he might have.

The world seemed to blur at the edges as she pounced. Her armor creating a horrible screeching sound against a blade suddenly in her prey's hand. He smirked at her as he managed to skip out of her grasp and point the sword he was holding at her more levelly.

"You didn't think I would not plan for the worst case scenario, dearest Isabella?" He said as the room echoed with shouts and a howl.

"I was wondering if you would make this seem as easy as it looked." She said her lips curling into a predatory smirk.

Finally, she had a challenge.

The other vampires she killed were of a mixed standing. There were those that were like the Cullen clan, their emotions getting in their way of properly defending themselves. Then as more time went on, there were vampires that thought the only way to continue existing was to flee at the sight of her.

Too bad for both camps, Bella's new baser instincts fed upon their rationalization like a great white shark. The more they ran, the more she chased. The more they screamed and pleaded the more she killed.

Outside of Felix, who from a glance was now tangling with Richard, there had been none to challenge her. But now she had a challenger, and he knew it. She could see it as plain as day in the stance he took against her.

She lowered her body into an almost animalistic crouch.

The first lunge was intercepted by cold steel. Her claws sparking against the metal and even leaving a few faint scratches. Still Aro held his ground.

The second lunge was a bit more successful. Her claws sank into his shoulder tearing at his shirt and leaving deep scratches. Still she had a mouth full of metal as her fangs clamped on the blade resting horizontally on her lips.

She pushed herself forward, her free arm grabbing his wrist to keep him from moving the blade from her teeth. She curled the fingers of her hand clasping his shoulder cutting even deeper as he growled at her.

His feet began to slip against the polished marble. She could hear the soles of his shoes squeaking as she almost lifted him from the ground. Her strength enough to bulldozer him into a wall crawling with vines.

"You know," He said his voice lowering and his injured hand fighting to help pull his sword arm from her grasp, "I would be thoroughly enjoying this if my wife wasn't watching our every move."

The growling snarl that hummed from deep in her throat was in no way human.

"I can see why Felix is so infatuated with you now, dearest Isabella. Perhaps I'll let him keep you as his pet after all. I'm sure he won't mind sharing with his master."

She felt him jab her in her elbow. The hand holding his wrist flexed just enough for him to fight off her hold. She felt his knee slam into her abdomen and then the blade he used glided across her teeth and lips.

A powerful punch to her jaw sent her flying backwards, upending one of the vampires as she slid on the floor. She sat up with a snarl feeling the pain of having her smile surgically widened with the sharp end of a rapier. Her eyes focused on her prey across the room as she stood.

She noticed his eyes widened as his injured arm quickly stitched itself back together. She knew exactly why he was shocked as she felt the damage done to her natural armor stitch back together just like his own injury. She smirked as the final piece of her injury fell back into place, then she was across the room upon him once again.

"I know you have healing abilities." He said as she batted away one of his lunges. "But I was unaware they were like my own."

"Only when I have my armor fully extended. Then I don't bleed." She said slamming her foot into his lower abdomen with enough power to dent an inch's worth of solid steel.

It was his turn to go sliding across the room. Only he stopped when he slammed into the blonde haired male who was fighting X-23. The two vampires stood quickly as Coyote and her fellow huntress circled them.

"This isn't going well for us Aro." The blonde said grimly as he pressed his back to his leader. "The Witch Twins have already fallen to Silverpool and Marcus isn't fairing much better against her."

"Yes well, I think we should worry about our safety before our brethren's, don't you agree Caius?" Aro said as the two maneuvered to keep their individual opponents in sight.

"What are these women?" Caius said eyeing X-23 with grim contempt. "It's almost as if they aren't fully human."

"They're mutants. They're mutations are unique but effective."

Out of nowhere a thick stalk of green fell towards the two vampires. They had to lunge towards the huntresses to escape the plant coming down upon them. In the background Coyote heard one of the female vampires cursing Eden.

Instead Coyote focused on meeting Aro's lunge with one of her own. The two crashed into one another and Coyote knocked Aro's blade from his hand with a swipe of her claws. She heard it clatter somewhere off in the distance while she bared down on the vampire now pinned between her legs.

He caught one of her claws with his hand but the other missed its target. She could feel the vibrations of her armor as her hand slammed into the marble below the vampire. Aro gasped in shock and pain causing his body to lurch further up the arm impaling him.

She knew she had struck his spine just by the lack of kicks he was trying to deliver as he struggled. His crimson eyes looked into her gold ones, before he slowly started to laugh. The sound echoed hollowly around her arm as it vibrated through his punctured lungs.

"You," He gasped enough air to speak, "you may think by killing me you have won the war."

"Killing you will only be the beginning of the end for your race." She hissed but let the dying being speak.

"My race means nothing." He grinned at her like he knew something she didn't. "The war is just beginning."

"What do you mean?"

"That seal upon the floor just beyond the dais, just in front of my throne. It is growing steadily in power."

"And what happens when it breaks?" Coyote demand knowing this information was far more important than killing any vampire.

"There," He gasped around her arm again as his healing abilities tried to dislodge the appendage impaling him, "there is a book in the library. A history of my race. You may find it useful. That is if you can find the book and read ancient Sumerian."

"Speak now vampire," She commanded with a growl.

"I'd rather burn." He said with a struggling chuckle. "But first, how is it when your armor is fully deployed you don't bleed, dearest Isabella?"

"One of your kind bit me once, a rogue hunter named James. Edward Cullen and his family saved me by stopping the venom from spreading, but it affected me enough to affect my mutation." She said with narrowed eyes. "Now tell me about that seal."

"How intriguing, no matter if you kill the last of my race a bit of us will live within you. Pity I won't be around when he graces the earth with his almighty presence." Aro said before lifting his hand to show her a remote control. "Perhaps you won't be either."

Before she could stop him, he pressed a button.

Her world exploded in air and fire. Her body was sent skyrocketing upward as she tried to make sense of the event. However her back hit something strong and solid stopping her assent into the ceiling.

She felt all the air in her lungs leave her body. Every molecule in her seemed to vibrate from the blast. Then as she fell towards the unforgiving marble, she could see the edges of her sight darkening.

The bone rattling thud as her body fell hit the ground finally sent her vision into darkness. She was glad she still had her armor fully extended upon landing. But she knew as she slipped below the edges of consciousness that soon her armor would relax back into her form as her body went completely limp.

* * *

YAY! I do not know when I can get the next chapter up. I have to see when I can get Internet to my new home, otherwise I will be working on finishing this story so I can finally complete it. Never fear, between the boxes and the miles I will get this done!

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